Rhythm
by Crystalgail
Summary: After a painful breakup with her boyfriend, Haruno Sakura moves on by joining a rock band that consists of a loud mouthed blond and a handsome blue haired guitarist. Will there be chaos, or will love bloom among members? SasSakNeji, NaruHina
1. Chapter one

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto 

**Short Synopsis:** After a painful breakup with her boyfriend, Haruno Sakura moves on by joining a rock band, consisting of a loud-mouthed blonde and a handsome blue-haired guitarist. Will there be chaos? Or will love bloom among members? (SasuSakuNeji)

**A/N:** This is my first ever fic in Naruto, I'm pretty excited actually. I'm hoping for lots and lots of reviews, ok? So keep em' coming!! Thanks!

Beta-Reader: Skye

* * *

**"Rhythm"**

by: Crystalgail

Tokyo, 2:35 pm

18-year-old Haruno Sakura smiled softly while putting some finishing touches on her masterpiece, "He with an Angel". She excitedly but carefully moved the used brush up and down on the canvas.

Her breathing was soft; the small window from the upper part of the attic gave a warm light to her piece. While painting, she would glance at the photo beside the artwork and just couldn't help but give another smile. She was deep in concentration, when. . .

A knock.

". . . Um. . . Sakura? May I . . . come in?" A shy girl with silver eyes whispered.

Sakura was surprised, yet looked at her friend with a concerned face. "Hinata? What are you doing here?" she asked. "Didn't I tell you not to disturb me when I'm painting?"

Hinata ignored her and entered Sakura's secluded painting room with a tray of sandwiches. "Sakura, Please. . . Please eat something already. . . You haven't eaten breakfast or lunch today, it will be bad for your health," she lectured with a shy face.

Sakura grinned but continued with her artwork. "Thank you for you concern, Hinata. Just leave the food by that table, I'll be finished in a sec."

Hinata smiled and placed the tray of sandwiches on the appointed table. She then carefully and silently walked towards Sakura and watched her put finishing touches on the masterpiece.

"It's really beautiful, Sakura!" Hinata praised, "You've been working on that all week, Gaara will be so pleased!"

Sakura laughed. "He better be, I've been working so hard for this one. I took the day off today so I could finish this up and finally be able to give it to him. This painting will be my anniversary gift!!"

Hinata blushed. "You really are a talented artist, Sakura!" she smiled, "And also a successful one."

"No, I'm not all that, Hinata. But hey, thanks for the compliment," Sakura smiled shyly.

"You were always the artistic one, Sakura, since we were still little." Hinata smiled as she reminisced, "You, me and Ino were always together since we were kids. After we finished college, we decided to live together because of our. . . parent's. . . um. . ."

Sakura's smile faded. "The word you are looking for is. . . death, Hinata."

Hinata's eyes started to water. "I'm. . . I'm sorry, Sakura."

"That was a very long time ago, Hina, don't worry!" Sakura forced a smile. "We have each other as friends, what else do we need?" she comforted her friend.

Hinata smiled. "You're lucky, Sakura. You have Gaara." Still smiling, she pointed at Sakura's painting. "Someone who can love you as more than just a friend!"

Sakura blushed. "Yes, I think I am lucky." She dropped the paintbrush by the corner and sighed, "There, it's finished!"

Hinata's face brightened. "It's really great! Will you be giving this to him now?"

"Of course! Today is our anniversary, right? But we have to wait for it to dry for a few minutes, then I'll go to his place." said Sakura while sitting down, then taking a bite on a sandwich by the table. "Come join me!"

Hinata smiled then blushed. "Thank you, Sakura!"

While they were eating, Sakura pulled something out of her pocket and showed a picture of her and Gaara to Hinata. "I love him so much, Hinata. I don't know what I'd do if I lost him."

Hinata comforted her friend, "I know he won't, he's a nice guy."

"Thanks," she whispered, "But that guy didn't even bother to call me, and it's our anniversary!!" Sakura smiled weakly.

"Just go to his apartment and surprise him!" Hinata suggested.

Sakura laughed, "He'll be surprised all right!" She then finished off her sandwich.

_In Sakura's bedroom_

"Hmm? Will this be nice?" she asked Hinata as she showed off the pink dress she usually wore.

Hinata shook her head. "I don't know. . . It's a special night. You have to pick out a special dress!"

Sakura looked in her closet again and found a black dress that ended barely above her knees, with a stylish red belt on it's waist. It was simple, but cute.

"Say no more, Hinata!" Sakura smiled, "This is perfect!!"

"I couldn't agree more" Hinata replied.

Sakura changed her clothes. It was truly perfect. The dress fitted her very well; it showed every beautiful angle of her body. Not satisfied, she tied her long pink hair up with a red ribbon that matched her belt.

"Thanks for helping me, Hinata," Sakura grinned at her friend.

Hinata nodded. "Don't mention it, Sakura," she smiled, "But I gotta go downstairs and make dinner for Ino. You know how she growls when she comes back home from work and hasn't been fed."

Sakura laughed. "You're right. Thanks again, Hinata!"

Before leaving, Hinata paused, wearing a worried face. "Are you sure you want to give him the painting today? It's pretty late and, well, I'd guess it's going to rain."

Sakura just smiled a sincere smile. "Don't worry, Hina. I'll just bring a jacket, and if I ever reach Gaara's place late at night, I'll just spend it at his house. He wouldn't mind."

Hinata grinned and proceeded downstairs.

** 'Sakura!! Move now, you baka! I'm already excited to see Gaara's impression of your painting!'** Inner Sakura yelled.

"Yeah, yeah. All right, I'll get it upstairs then wrap it," Sakura sighed to herself.

All set and ready, Sakura held the wrapped painting cautiously, like it was her most precious treasure. She wore her jacket and called goodbye to Hinata with arms locked around the painting.

She was walking along the sidewalk in the busy streets of Tokyo. She was already far from home. She'd have to walk to his house, and she had to admit, it was going to be a pretty exhausting trip.

Sakura looked up in the dark sky while walking. "It's a good thing Hinata warned me about the weather. It'll rain pretty soon."

She continued walking without looking where she was going, then as was to be expected she bumped into someone. That someone was a he. They both landed on the ground, Sakura's painting landing safely by her side.

"Watch where you're going, pig!!" The guy with onyx eyes shouted.

"You almost ruined my painting!!" Sakura shouted back while eyeing him. "You. . . You blue-haired bastard!!"

The mysterious guy raised an eyebrow then stood up "But it wasn't ruined, so don't blame it on me! It was you and your clumsiness!! Pink-haired pig." Contrary to what he said, he was extending a hand to help Sakura up.

Sakura growled, got her painting then stood up. "I don't need your help, bastard! I can manage!!" she hissed and left.

The mysterious guy smirked. "Good bye then, pink-haired pig!!"

"Good riddance, Blue-haired bastard!!" she shouted back, still walking away.

She finally reached her lover's apartment building. She then proceeded to stroll up to the guard.

"Is Gaara home?" Sakura asked.

"Yes ma'am. He's in his apartment with some company," the guard replied. He then went back to sleep. (Some security.)

** 'Company?! Who could that be? Sakura! Go in now and find out!'** Inner Sakura ordered.

"Yeah yeah, all right." she sighed and walked towards the elevator.

When she was a few meters away from Gaara's room, she remembered something unexpected. . . the guy she bumped earlier.

** 'Admit it!! He's pretty good looking!!'** Inner Sakura teased.

"Stop it!!" Sakura whispered, "He's nothing but a creep, and besides, I already have Gaara!"

** 'I know, you can have Gaara, while I have that handsome dude!! Hell Yeah!'** Inner Sakura shouted happily with a voice that echoed through Sakura's brain.

Sakura just groaned; she was about to knock at Gaara's door when she noticed it was already open. She silently entered his apartment, and was surprised to see clothes lining the floor of his hallway. Sakura started to feel a bit scared.

"What if his place was ransacked?" Sakura whispered while picking up the clothes. She was shocked to see woman's lingerie.

** 'Kami! This means three things, Sakura! One, Gaara's gay. Two, he's having sex with a slut in the bathroom. And Three, He's gay!!' **

Sakura ignored her inner self. She trusted Gaara, and Gaara wouldn't dare betray her that. But there was a feeling inside her, one that she couldn't explain. . . it must've been doubt.

Then the bathroom door caught her attention. It was slightly open, and while she knew it was a bit perverted of her to peek, she had to know whether her inner self's theory was true. Sakura placed the painting against the wall. She knelt down to peek.

There she saw the things she was afraid to see. Not only see, but the things she was afraid to hear. She could hear moans, lots of lustful moans. Sakura's eyes started to water, tears that couldn't be stopped. Her heart felt so heavy. Gaara was in the shower, with some brunette girl.

They were dripping wet. Gaara's lips were lustfully pressed on the girl's mouth. Both were naked and covered with sweat. Sakura couldn't believe her eyes. Even her own inner self was speechless.

Unknowingly, she pushed the door wide open. The two exposed bodies were shocked. Especially Gaara. Sakura's eyes couldn't stop the tears, they just kept on flowing by her rosy cheeks. They all stared each other for a long time but the girl broke the ice by fetching a bathrobe beside her. She just ran by Sakura while getting her clothes then left. Sakura didn't bother to go after her, but she could never forget that girl's face.

Sakura was still crying. She stood up, not bothering to talk to Gaara, and then fetched the painting behind her. She was about to leave Gaara's apartment when. . .

Gaara grabbed a bathrobe and ran after his girlfriend. "Sakura, wait! I can explain!"

Sakura whirled around and faced Gaara with tears in her eyes. Why couldn't the tears just stop? "Gaara. . . let me go. . ." she whispered weakly.

"Sakura!! I can explain everything. . . I didn't mean to!! I swear!!" Gaara grabbed her shoulders then looked her in the eyes.

"Let go of me. . ." she ordered patiently, looking away. Deep inside she really wanted to burst.

"I love. . ." Gaara shouted.

Sakura's blood boiled, she then faced Gaara, and eye-to-eye she shouted, "Shut the fuck up! Love? You don't know the meaning of that word!! You don't know anything!! We're fucking through!! Now just let your fucking hands away from me before I fucking break them!!" she roared, storming away.

"Sakura. . . I. . . " Gaara whispered.

Before Sakura completely left Gaara, she stopped. Not even looking at him, she muttered, "I can. . . I will live without you, bastard. I don't need you in my life!!" she shouted, then ran away from her ex-boyfriend.

"Sakura. . ."

* * *

Haruno Sakura was alone, walking home in the rain. All drenched and wet, she had only an soggy painting for an ex-boyfriend and a broken heart. She didn't care about anything. How could he do this to her? She stopped walking, looked at the painting in her left hand, and ripped the newspaper that protected it off. 

She looked at the painting. It was a picture of a happy couple. Gaara and her. Sakura felt a tear fall from her face, and watched it land on the painting, merging with the raindrops. The water started to fade the painting. _'And so does my love for Gaara,'_ she thought fiercely. _'It's all over now.'_

Sakura then placed the ruined painting in the nearest garbage can. She continued to walk with a blank face. She just hugged herself to keep warm. It was useless, her heart was still feeling cold.

She finally reached the doorstep of her apartment. Sakura looked up at the windows. Hinata and Ino were still awake, she could tell. She knocked at the door softly.

Eventually, the door opened. There she saw the happy faces of Hinata and Ino, both looking as if they were waiting for a good news about her and Gaara. But they observed her, eyes red from crying. They both fell silent. Inside, they guessed what had occurred.

"Sakura. . ." Ino whispered while Hinata started to cry.

"Ino. . . Hinata. . ." Sakura tried to force a smile, "Gaara. . . he. . ."

Hinata burst into tears. "You don't need to explain, Sakura! I know it hurts you! We don't want to see you suffering!" She then hugged Sakura.

Ino said in a concerned tone, "Sakura. . . Just let him go. . ."

"I'm all right, really," Sakura whispered, "I can live without him. I'm a strong and grown-up girl, remember?" she gave a fake laugh.

Ino and Hinata were dead silent.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Sakura smiled. "I'm okay! I just need to rest, so good night. . ." she headed straight in her room, leaving her two friends outside.

". . . Sakura. . .wait. . ." Hinata whispered, but Ino stopped her.

"Hinata, let's leave her alone for the night." Ino smiled. "I've known Sakura since we were kids, and she's a strong girl, she'll just have to cry it out."

Hinata nodded slowly in agreement.

_Inside Sakura's room,_

Sakura just stared at her window, feeling the chill of the night. The droplets of rain pattered against her window. She felt tears in her eyes. She sobbed, remembering all the good times she had with Gaara. Then, like a strong girl, she cried herself to sleep.

. . . to be continued. . .

* * *

**A/N:** My grammar sucks!! I got a confession to make; this story is not really quite clear in my mind yet. But I think I already have a plot. But. . . Waah! It's so confusing! Anyways, you can help me by sending your reviews and comments! I'll update this up if I have time to write, I have so many things to do at school and the most primary intention is to. . .learn! Wahahahaha! 

Oh I almost forgot; if you're wondering. **Break the ice means to break the silence or start a conversation**. It's an idiom. If you could find that in this story, I'll give you a cookie! I got to thank my English teacher for that ()

Crystalgail


	2. Chapter two

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**A/N:** Thank you so much for all those who reviewed! Keep em' coming! Ok, I want first to apologize, because I'm going to be a slow writer. I still have to deal with my long test, and study harder. But I promise, after the long test, I'll try to write faster, So sorry. . .

Beta-Reader: Skye

* * *

**Chapter Two**

An emotionless pink haired girl was leaning on her bed while watching the morning rain slowly stop. She was still in her wet black clothes, as she was too tired to change clothes the night before. Sakura could still feel small tears in the corners of her eyes. She gently rubbed them off and looked at the dark world outside her room again.

She had cried herself to sleep late last night yet she woke up very early. She looked at her pink wall clock and grumbled at the time. It was still 4:25 in the morning. She looked around her once-cheerful room. Then, her eyes landed on a familiar object.

Sakura saw a picture of her with Gaara in a cute pink frame with hearts. She grabbed of the frame and took out the undamaged photo inside. She stared at it for a long time and once again, couldn't stop herself from crying. Some of her crystal tears dropped on the picture.

She quickly regained her composure, opened the lowest drawer of her bedside table, and slid the picture inside her diary.

"Gaara. . . I will move on." Sakura whispered to herself. "You don't know how much I would really love to tear that picture of yours into pieces. . . I can't, not now. . ."

Sakura sighed, opened her closet then chose some clean lounge-around-the-house wear, because she wasn't in the mood to do any activities that required going outside. She looked at her wall clock once again. . . still only 4:30. Sighing, she entered her bathroom to take a bath. Time sure was slow.

Finally, she finished taking a bath. She wore her simple pink pajamas and dried her pink hair with a towel. Sakura tiptoed out of her room, and crept silently upstairs into the attic or so-called 'Sakura's painting room'. When she opened the rusty door, it was dark. There was no light from the window that could give the place life, just like her heart.

It was a messy room, paintings were scattered around, along with unwashed brushes and papers that were quite messy. Sakura sighed and started picking up pieces of paper. She grouped her used brushes together with her other painting materials. With tears in her eyes, she placed all her materials inside a big box and put it aside.

Sakura smiled while patting the big box. "I'll let you rest for a while, you've been so used!"

Then her smile faded and tears came running down her cheeks. "I will paint again. I just . . . I just need someone, anyone, that can save me from this darkness. . ."

"Anyone. . ."

* * *

Ino yawned while heading from her bedroom down to the kitchen. She was still in her pajamas. She was shocked to see Sakura, smiling and making breakfast. Hinata followed behind her and got a surprised look plastered on her face, just like Ino.

Sakura noticed her two friends at the foot of the stairs and grinned. "Hey, sleepy heads! Good morning! I cooked breakfast, eat up!" she said cheerfully.

Sakura flipped the pancakes while Ino and Hinata sat on their chairs. The two still had shocked expressions painted on their faces. Sakura joined her friends and placed the pancakes on the table.

"What's with the face?" Sakura laughed, "I'm not as good at cooking as Hinata, but I think it's edible!" she joked.

Ino held Sakura's hand and spoke in a concerned tone. "Are you sick, Sakura?"

"Of course not!" Sakura smiled.

Hinata shuddered. "What. . . What about you. . . and Gaara?"

Sakura just continued to smile but deep inside, all she felt was pain. "Don't worry, I think I can manage. I just need something to keep busy with!"

"How about painting then, that's worth doing," Ino suggested.

Sakura looked at her hands. "I don't know. . . I, I just can't paint, guess every artist needs an inspiration," she laughed.

Hinata took a sip of her coffee. "Sakura, I think you should start dating again, you get lots of suitors anyway," she blushed.

Ino nodded, "Not as many as mine, but it'll do just fine!" She giggled.

Sakura choked on her food. "I can't. I just can't. I need something else, besides dating, to bother with," she sighed.

"Don't worry, I'll help you, even in my own little way." Ino stood up with her right foot on her chair, a full pancake inserted in her mouth.

"I'll. . . try my best too, Sakura," Hinata smiled while blushing.

Sakura stared. "Ehh. . .Thanks. . ." she then took a bite out of her pancake.

Ino went to work later that day, meaning only Sakura and Hinata were left in the house. Sakura helped Hinata with her daily chores, it was exhausting but she needed to do something to keep her busy and to keep her mind off that bastard, Gaara.

Sakura helped Hinata clean the whole house, so they finished cleaning early. The two flopped onto the couch, dead tired.

Sakura gasped, "So, that's what you do every day, Hinata." She laughed. "So scary!"

Hinata giggled, "With your help today, we made the house spic and span in a jiffy!"

"No problem," Sakura smiled, "Don't worry, Hina. You already have a job, you don't have to bother doing these things for us."

Hinata only smiled at her friend for the comfort, but instantly jumped up after looking at her wristwatch. "Oh, great!"

"What's the matter?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"I need to do some grocery shopping!" Hinata panicked, "We don't have any food left in the fridge, and when she gets home, Ino will surely go on a rampage!"

Sakura stood up, sighed, then comforted her friend. "Don't worry, Hinata, you still have enough time to get some groceries, I'll take care of Ino when she gets home."

"Thank you, Sakura!" Hinata exclaimed. She ran to the stairs and looked back at Sakura. "Oh! Aren't you coming?"

Sakura shook her head. "I'm tired, and well, you know how I hate shopping. It makes me dizzy," she laughed.

"Oh, okay then," Hinata giggled, "You can rest now, Sakura."

"Thanks, Hina," Sakura smiled, "I'll go up to my room now, don't forget to lock the door when you leave, okay?"

Hinata nodded and proceed to run out the door.

* * *

Ino was walking home along the crowded sideways of Tokyo. Her mind wasn't focused on walking, however. She was thinking of a plan to help distract Sakura from her problems. Ino really felt pity for Sakura, after her breakup, how could she remain cheerful and calm? Ino smiled, Sakura really was a strong and determined girl.

Ino was thinking really hard, but still, no luck. "Kami! I need to be of help to Sakura somehow! Just give me a sign!" she shouted irritably.

People around her started to stare at her, which Ino didn't mind at all. "Damn it! I need to help her somehow! I just need a. . ." before she could even finish, a gust of wind blew a piece of paper at her face.

". . . sign. . . " Ino finished, clearly annoyed, then looked at the small paper. A grin crept across her lips. She tucked the paper carefully in her sleeve, and ran home as fast as she could.

* * *

Sakura sighed lazily. She really was bored now. She stared at her pink room, and then lay back on her soft bed. Sakura stretched her right hand to the radio beside her, turned it on, and listened as a sweet yet sad love song filled the room.

She smirked, and then stared outside her window. "Is this a sign? Why does it has to be this song?" she remembered it as Gaara's and hers.

Sakura gently closed her eyes while a smile crept on her lips and small tears formed in her eyes, she began to hum the tune. Slowly she sang. Sakura stood up and swayed back and forth, but kept singing, as if music had become a small light in her dark and broken heart. Finally, she smiled, not a fake smile but a radiant, genuine smile.

The song ended and she turned her radio off with the same happy smile. She softly put her head on her cushy pillows and gently closed her eyes. Sakura was ready to head for dreamland, when. . .

"Sakura!" Ino shouted while slamming open Sakura's door. Ino had a scary grin on her face.

Sakura was shocked. "Neh? Ino!" she shouted back, "Don't you know the word privacy!"

Ino flashed an I-don't-care smile. "Gomen-ne, Sakura!" she apologized, "But I have the answer to your problems, my friend!"

Sakura looked interested. "Nandesute?"

Ino sighed, "As I just said, I have the answer to your problems!" She smiled. "And it's all written in this small paper!" she pulled the paper out of her sleeve.

"Nani?" Sakura asked irritably.

Ino acted like she planned to give the paper to Sakura, but instead of handing it to her, she cheerfully threw the paper at Sakura's face, and then laughed like the pig Sakura knew she was.

"Hey, that was rude!" Sakura complained, but quickly read the paper and examined every golden word written on it.

"So what do you think?" Ino asked.

Sakura stared at the paper with great confusion written on her face. She then looked at her friend silently, but there were lots of questions running through her head.

Sakura gulped nervously. "Au. . .Audition?"

. . . to be continued. . .


	3. Chapter three

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait!** I'm too inspired to write! And so many thanks for all the reviewers! I love ya' all! Hehehe!

Beta-Reader: Skye

* * *

**Chapter Three**

A certain pink-haired girl stared at her reflection in her bathroom mirror. She just finished taking a bath and it was still six in the morning. She had her pink hair bundled up with a towel and her wet body was wearing her usual white bathrobe. Sakura left her humid bathroom and headed for her closet.

When she was about to open said closet, she saw her memo board and noticed something strange. There was a handwritten note made by Ino herself stuck on it. It was written in capitals and bold red ink. **'SAKURA'S AUDITION: 9:00 AM'**. Irritated, Sakura just sighed.

"Why did I even let Ino drag me into this mess? Why oh why oh why?" Sakura groaned while averting her gaze from the horrifying handwritten memo.

**'Because you were tortured and were not given a chance to object!'** Inner Sakura interrupted.

Sakura was surprised yet angry at the same time. To her inner self, she muttered sadly, "Long time no see, you just simply disappeared after. . . after. . . that incident."

**'Darn that bastard! You don't need him! Get a life!'** Inner Sakura scolded.

Sakura sat down at her bed and hugged her knees tightly. "Can I. . . Really do that?" she started to doubt herself.

**'Of course you can! That's why you're trying for this audition right? To forget about that bastard! And I have to admit, we have to thank Ino for that.'** Inner Sakura admitted.

Sakura smiled, "At least I still have Ino and Hinata. I wouldn't have survived this mess without them. I know Ino is just trying to help me," she sighed, "But I really don't appreciate what she did to me last night! It was pure torture!"

**'Tell me about it! She was willing to tickle you to death you know, until of course, you agreed to the audition!'** She screamed at the thought.

Sakura stood up and unbundled the wet towel on her hair. "I don't get it, I just don't get it, I'm not real good at singing anyway" she blushed, then looked at her face in her full length mirror.

**'Baka! You're great at singing! It's just like art but in a different way, I guess! Try it! What do you have to lose?'** Inner Sakura argued.

Sakura smiled and started combing her wet cherry-colored hair. "You're right, what do I have to lose?"

**'Hell Yeah!**' Inner Sakura cheered.

After half an hour, a soft knock on Sakura's door devoured the silence inside.

"Come in" stated Sakura, too busy too look at the knocking person. Different sets of dresses, blouses, caps, shoes, and other articles of clothing were scattered on Sakura's pink bed. Obviously, she was having a hard time trying to pick something to wear for the audition. She was still in her white bathrobe!

A pair of white eyes entered Sakura's room shyly. "Sa. . . Sakura? Are you busy?" she inquired softly.

Sakura looked at her friend and flashed a smile. "Oh, hey Hinata! You're just in time, will you help me choose something special to wear. . . again?"

Hinata blushed. "Sure, Sakura." She then started to search through Sakura's things and instantly something caught her eye. "This combination would be nice!"

Hinata was truly a genius. She grabbed a pink sleeveless shirt and Sakura's old yet clean white pedal pants from the heap of clothes. She matched them with Sakura's sling bag that had pink flowers printed on a pink background. Sakura added her favorite pink rubber shoes, which Hinata approved.

"Thanks for the help, Hina!" Sakura flashed a thankful smile, "This is perfect! I just couldn't concentrate these past few days, I'm. . . still distracted. . . and. . ."

"Nervous. . .?" Hinata guessed; Sakura nodded in agreement.

"And scared. . ." Sakura admitted with sad eyes, "Scared to move on, I guess"

"Sakura. . ." Hinata tried to console her friend but was already too late.

Sakura covered her eyes and cried, "Why?. . . Why can't I just forget him? I hate this feeling. . . I hate it! Did I love him that much? Or worse, Do I still love him that much!"

Hinata looked at her with a concerned look and patted her back, "These things take time, Sakura," was all she could say. How could she comment something about love when she hadn't felt that wonderful feeling? "I don't like to see you sad anymore. Don't let a guy ruin your life."

That stopped Sakura. She regained her posture, looked at herself in the mirror and brushed away some of her tears. "You're right, I was just making a fool of myself," she whispered sadly.

Hinata sighed then smiled, then reached something in her pocket. "This is for you, Sakura. . . I'm so. . . sorry, I didn't have time to wrap it up," she blushed.

Her pink haired friend looked at the small gift, and was truly touched. It was a white handkerchief with 2 golden words neatly embroidered on it. . . _'Forever Friends'._

"Thanks Hina!" Sakura smiled warmly. "Too bad this hankie will just be filled with tears," Sakura sighed.

Hinata smiled. "You don't need to shower it with your tears, Sakura!" she explained, getting hold of the white fabric in one hand while holding Sakura's pink locks in the other. Surprisingly, she used it as a ponytail tie for Sakura's long hair.

Sakura was surprised yet thankful at the same time, "Thanks! It's so cool! It'll match the color of my pants," she smiled as she glanced at the white pants beside her.

"Oh, before I forget," Hinata took another thing from her pocket, "Ino just left and she asked me to give this to you."

Sakura took the paper and asked, "Where did Ino go? She promised that she'll accompany me to the audition!"

"Ino went to the audition first and fixed some papers for you," Hinata explained nervously. "She also said that you better not be late and meet her there on time"

Sakura sighed, "Well, That's Ino." She glanced at the small paper, "So this is the address where the audition will take place?"

Hinata nodded shyly then slowly went for the exit. "Sorry Sakura, I can't go to the audition with you. . . I have too much work to do," she whispered apologetically.

"No problem, Hinata." Sakura smiled, "Anyway, Thanks for the present!"

"Good luck, Sakura!" Hinata cheered before completely leaving her friend's room.

Sakura stared at the paper and murmured, "Room 3, KTV building. . ."

* * *

Haruno Sakura was walking along the silent sidewalk of Elm Street, her mind not paying attention to walking because she was too busy staring at her paper and following the directions written on it. She smiled as she touched the handkerchief Hinata gave her as a gift. She also marveled at her current attire because it really did fit her personality well.

"Hmm? Then turn right at Oak street," Sakura instructed herself. She glanced to her right then left and saw no sign of cars coming. She successfully crossed the street and stepped onto the other sidewalk.

"Hey, girl! Watch out!" A surprised and angry voice shouted at her.

Unbeknownst to Sakura, a bicycle was rushing towards her. The cyclist was trying to get Sakura's attention so she could step aside, because he had already lost control of his own bike. Sakura was too preoccupied with looking at the paper to notice him.

"Watch out!" The biker tried shouting again, but failed. He was already too close for Sakura to dodge when. . .

A mysterious savior tackled Sakura and away from the dangerous vehicle they both flew. Sakura screamed while holding tightly on to the guy. They rolled downhill a bit until they stopped in an unexpected position.

They were both lying down, and Sakura was leaning on _his_ chest, which surprised the blue-haired savior. She was crying and obviously, scared. He could feel the wetness of the tears in her eyes, even though he never really saw how beautiful they were because her bare hands covered them. But, even he surprised himself as he felt his hands pat her back to give comfort.

"Miss, are you alright?" the guy looked down at her and asked at a concerned tone.

Sakura still cried on his chest then whispered, "Ga. . . Gaara?" she sniffed as she looked up at him.

Much to her disappointment, all she saw was a pair of daring yet wonderful onyx-colored eyes. He stared at her beautiful teary emerald ones and stayed like that for a long time, until, of course, Sakura started to panic.

She blushed while trying to get up. "Go. . . Gomen-ne!" she stammered while bowing. Her pink silky hair followed her head's lead.

He continued to stare at her while standing up. He couldn't help but smirk at her cuteness. When Sakura slowly looked up, she was surprised to see him hand her hankie to her. She quickly straightened up then grabbed of her hankie, it was all dirty and a small tear could be seen. It was a total wreck.

Sakura cried out in disbelief, "My hankie. . ." she hugged it close to her heart. _'Sorry, Hinata . . .'_

Sakura was surprised when her handsome savior slowly rubbed her tears away from her cheeks. He placed his index finger below her chin, making her look up and turn crimson at him. He was smiling, a sweet and sincere smile. . . he was just so handsome and pure. He then grabbed something from his pocket and gave her a new clean handkerchief.

"Take it, it's not used anyway," he spoke in a low tone, "It would temporary replace your ripped one, and I guess it'll look good on you."

Sakura blushed more but accepted the kind offer; she unfolded it and saw the letters_ U.S._ written in a corner. She looked at him with a confused face.

"U.S.?" she asked. _'Whoa, United States? What?'_

"Uchiha Sasuke." he held out his hand to shake then asked, "You?"

Sakura examined his onyx eyes, his blue hair. . . his face. She finally came into her senses. She knew him! He was the blue-haired bastard that nearly ruined her masterpiece that ended up being almost destroyed anyways. She looked at him with a firm face. Didn't he remember her? And the way he last treated her? It was the exact opposite of what he acted like this time around.

"Why should I tell my name to a total stranger?" she spoke coldly, "Anyways, I got to go, thanks for the help once again." Sakura then left with her nose up in the air.

This surprised Sasuke, but inside he was grinning. Even he could feel her strong and determined aura and that truly pleased him.

He was surprised to see a small crumpled paper on the ground. "Hmm? She must have left this," he guessed. Sasuke looked at it and was surprised yet again. He couldn't help but laugh aloud.

"We'll meet again, pink haired girl," he chuckled, "I know we will." He slowly folded the paper, tucked it in his sleeve, and walked away.

Sakura stopped for a while then looked at the hankie she received. "Uchiha Sasuke. . ." she whispered.

She felt her lips touch the white fabric. Sakura fixed her hair then used it as a ponytail tie; she stretched her hands up in the air and sighed.

"Uchiha Sasuke" she whispered his name once again. "That bastard. . ." she laughed.

Sakura reached for the pocket in her bag. She then started to panic. She lost the paper, the paper that contained the address of the audition area! She thought, maybe. . . just maybe, she could still find it, even she was already lost.

She groaned then started trudging her way to what she hoped was KTV building.

. . . to be continued. . .


	4. Chapter four

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto

**A/N: **Hello everybody! Sorry for the wait! At least it's not that long anymore! Hehe! Am I progressing? Well, I'm expecting more reviews, keep em' coming!

Oh by the way, these are some questions that most of the readers usually ask me. . . I hope I was able to answer some of your questions though. . .

**Q:** Where is Neji in this story? When will he appear?

**A:** Well, I did promise that Neji would appear in this story because actually he has one of the biggest roles. I just wish that some of the readers may please be patient enough to wait, this story is still well, and how can I say this? Still in it's early stages. Just let Sasuke comfort you for a while. Neji WILL appear later on. (Not as Hinata's cousin)

**Q:** Is Naruto part of the love triangle?

**A:** No! I'm thinking of having a little Hinata/Naruto here! Hehe! That is, if you don't mind. My summary is a bit confusing, I know.

**Q:** Did Sakura mistook Sasuke as Itachi in the first chapter?

**A:** No, that was really Sasuke in a bad mood. This might confuse some.

Even though, I'm currently in a State of Shock! I didn't expect my story to get so many attentions! (Which made me very happy by the way! Thanks!) I'm not used to this kind of pressure, and stuff. But its really fun writing!

Read on and enjoy the story!

Beta-reader: Skye

* * *

**Chapter four**

_'Where are you, Sakura?' _

Ino walked to and fro outside the audition room, her left hand on her waist and the other clutching her cell phone. She was trying to contact their house to check on Sakura, who was already ten minutes late. Luckily the judges had yet to call her name.

Ino walked by the window and finally stopped calling the house. She groaned, it was useless anyway. Sakura must've already left and was already on her way here. Or worse, she might have gotten lost. . . again. Ino knew following directions was one of Sakura's weaknesses; why did she leave Sakura alone?

She looked around the once-busy hallway. Only three contestants were left, the first was a girl with long, blonde, braided hair who kept going to the comfort room. Maybe she was nervous. Another one was a handsome guy who seemed very confident, if not cocky. The last was still busy inside the audition room.

Ino couldn't take it anymore; she started laughing incredibly loud. The two just stared at her with weird looks on their faces.

_'Haruno Sakura! Where the hell are you! If you don't show up, I swear I'll skin you alive!' _

Sakura scratched her cherry colored hair while wandering around. She asked some people for directions, but she was still lost. The sidewalk was clean and silent, which, for her, was very irritating for two reasons. One, nobody was there to help her, the other was because she was _very_ late. She groaned, thinking about the long lecture she'd surely get from Ino. The girl really hated waiting.

"Am I really that stupid? I lost the address and I can't even remember it!" Sakura cursed to herself.

Finally, she saw a wooden bench by the corner and decided to sit down and rest her tired legs for a short while. Sakura looked at the peaceful sky above her and once again, she remembered him. . . her Gaara.

**'Why do you always keep thinking of him? Move on with your life, girl!'** Inner Sakura yelled.

Sakura remembered the happy times they had together, the promises of love they made. She had loved him and she was certain, he had loved her too. They have been going out for what seemed like forever. . . How could he break the bond between them? Was her love not enough? Did he really love her?

Several questions without answers. What could be more painful?

"I did love you, Gaara. . . and. . . I. . ." Tears started to form at the corners of her eyes, but Sakura kept looking up at the clear blue skies.

**'No! Don't say it! Do NOT say it!' **Inner Sakura screeched.

"I. . . and I . ." Sakura started shaking.

**'Do NOT say it, Sakura!'** Inner Sakura screamed warningly.

"I still. . .I still love you, Gaara," Sakura admitted, bursting into tears.

**'NO! She said it!'**

Sakura sobbed, finally. . . she cried it all out. She pretended to be strong for her friends and also for herself but it was still just a pretense and it would never come true. Inside, deep inside of her, lay a bleeding heart. She was just a normal woman in love! What had she done to deserve this!

"I need to move on, I don't know how but I need to move on," Sakura whispered. However, it was still loud enough for an unexpected someone to hear.

While she was sobbing silently, somebody was observing her from far behind. Uchiha Sasuke looked at her with pity, not that his expressionless eyes showed it. He was still holding Sakura's small paper. Glancing at it, he smirked.

Sakura wanted to have one last look at the clear blue sky before continuing her search. Yet she was rather surprised to see the daring and wonderful onyx eyes of Sasuke. Sakura yelped.

"Uchiha Sasuke! What are you doing here?" Sakura jumped up and quickly shoved the tears away from her face.

"Wow, thanks for the warm welcome," Sasuke replied sarcastically. "Were you crying, pink-haired girl?" he inquired while changing the topic.

Sakura quickly forced a grin. "Of course not! Why should I?" She stood up and pointed at him. "And why should you care!" She began to walk away.

"Warui, kedo. Where are you going?" Sasuke asked nonchalantly.

"Nothing that concerns you!" Sakura stuck her nose in the air.

"Oh, really?" Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and grinned while waving her paper. "Do you know where you're going, exactly?"

Sakura gulped and then faced him, she felt irritated when he waved the paper again, as if mocking her. Sakura walked with heavy steps to Sasuke.

She snatched the small paper. "Um. . . Arigato gozaimasu," Sakura muttered. Blushing, she turned and finally walked away.

Sasuke followed her, a bemused expression on his face. "Still aren't telling names, pink-haired girl?"

"I'm not telling!" Sakura said exasperatedly while looking at the paper. _'The building's quite near already, lucky me!' _

Sakura was still walking hurriedly, she could still make it if she hurried. Sasuke was still behind her, staring and following her every move as if incredibly entertained.

Irritated, Sakura looked behind her and saw a smirking Sasuke. She knew very well that he was teasing- no, mocking her. "Why are you following me!" she snapped at him.

"Whoa, I'm not following you! Coincidentally, we're both headed the same direction," Sasuke explained. _'You'll find out soon enough.'_

Sakura calmed down but kept walking. "You're trying out for the audition too?" she asked.

Sasuke paused. _'I thought so.'_ "Ie, better than that."

"Nande?" Sakura asked, looking out for any cars as she crossed the street.

"Tell me your name first," Sasuke grinned.

"In your dreams, Sasuke," Sakura smiled. She found him rather amusing.

Sasuke looked at her. "Finally, a genuine smile," he murmured. _'A pretty one, too.'_

"Huh?"

" . . . Nothing."

Finally, they neared their destination. Sakura could already see KTV building. She smiled and glanced over her shoulder to thank Sasuke. Unfortunately, he was already gone.

"Where the hell is he?" she asked herself, befuddled. "He just disappeared, the nerve!"

She then looked at the tall building. "Hmm? Room 3 . . . " Sakura started to make her way inside the building.

* * *

"HARUNO SAKURA! What took you so long!" Ino roared at her tired friend.

Sakura groaned wearily, "I got lost, this place is new to me, and well, I got preoccupied on the way. Gomen-nasai."

**'And by the way, Ino! We met a handsome dude by the name of Sasuke on the way, die of jealousy! Wahahaha!'** Inner Sakura cackled.

'Sshhh!' Sakura hissed at her inner self.

Ino sighed, "I got tired of waiting, you know! You're lucky, though, they haven't called you yet. I assume you're the last one." She glanced at her watch.

"Really? Phew!" Sakura exclaimed. She hastily finger-combed her cherry colored hair and straightened her clothes; she had to look good for the audition, after all.

"I'm glad you agreed to come to the audition, Sakura. Hinata and I think it'll help, you know." Ino smiled gently.

"Yes, I know, and I'm very thankful for the two of you!" Sakura smiled back, "And I promise, I'll do my best for this audition. I will move on!"

**'You are just so inspired and so in love, Sakura!'** Inner Sakura teased.

"Shut up!" She whispered angrily to herself.

Sakura looked around the waiting area, they were the only ones left. Ino chattered pointlessly about the people that were still there and the ones who had already auditioned. The girl with braided blonde hair was apparently not accepted and went home, while the Mr. Confident was still in the process of doing whatever the audition consisted of.

Sakura sat down and sighed, "He seems really good, I bet he'll get in!"

Ino plopped beside her friend. "Just try your best! I know you can do it! You have the looks and the voice, trust me!" she laughed, poking Sakura's arm.

"Well, he's got the looks and the voice too, right?" Sakura asked her friend solemnly.

"Apparently," Ino sighed.Sakura shrugged.

"Oh I almost forgot!" Ino hopped back up. "Somebody told me that there were three judges in this audition, but I think one was late."

"One was late?" Sakura seemed interested. In any case, she was staring intently at Ino.

Ino sighed, "Hai, and I must admit that he is very charming, he just passed by me earlier. Right before you came, actually. He's inside the room now, judging Mr. Confident-person, and in a bit, he'll judge you. He seems very scary and well, harsh."

Sakura smiled. "Nah, I bet he's not that scary. I bet he can't even make me cry!" she joked.

Before Ino could reply, the audition door opened and out stumbled 'the guy', as they would forever remember him. It seemed like he lost his confidence and was attacked by several small missiles. He glanced at Ino and Sakura, then started to cry like a baby. That surprised Ino and Sakura, so they didn't react when he stepped closer to them.

"Which one of you is auditioning?" He asked Ino, clearly assuming she was.

"Me," Sakura stepped forward bravely. "Is there a problem?"

The guy shook his head. "Are you a great singer?" he sniffled.

"Well, I'm good, but not that great," she explained. Ino tried to protest, Sakura stopped her.

"Well, good luck. You're going to need it," he started, clearly depressed. "It was pure horror inside; I don't want to sing anymore! Even though I've been taking singing lessons since childhood and I've won every singing contest I ever joined, they just kept criticizing me! They're all so cruel, especially the last judge!" he scampered away crying.

Ino looked at Sakura. "Poor guy, I guess he didn't make it. Well, that's one less opponent for you, Sakura!" she giggled wickedly. Ino _had_ felt sorry for the man. Fortunately, that only lasted about two seconds.

Sakura froze, nervousness crawling in her stomach. "Like you said, he was great, right? Why didn't he make it? Are they really _that_ strict?" she stammered.

"I admit, he was good, but not as good as you!" Ino tried to comfort her friend. "Now, calm down and stop panicking! You can make it! Don't be nervous, you're next!"

Sakura protested, "But I didn't even practice!" She started bawling. "All I know how to do is paint!"

"Haruno Sakura!" A male voice from inside the room called her name rather ominously, giving her permission to enter.

Sakura gulped, she peeked at Ino with a nervous look plastered on her face. Ino signaled for her to go in. Mixed emotions swirled in Sakura's head and gut: dread, nervousness, anticipation and excitement. She wanted to go to the smallest corner of her attic, stay there and forgot about the whole thing.

It was too late for that. She nervously entered the quiet audition room, feeling her knees weaken as she slowly closed the door. Sakura was alone with three judges, all of whom were waiting for her to sing.

As she walked towards the center, the first thing she noticed was a long table with the three judges sitting behind it. The first judge nearest to the door was a blonde who looked about the same age as Sakura. He was holding a bowl full of ramen and had several empty bowls in front of him. The boy certainly seemed friendly, and he was the first one to greet her. Sakura read the name plate on the table. Uzumaki Naruto.

"Good afternoon, Sakura!" Naruto greeted her with a huge grin and acted as if he had known her since childhood.

"Oh, um, good afternoon to you too," she smiled sweetly, hiding the butterflies in her stomach.

To Naruto's left was a handsome man who was probably too old for Sakura. His name was apparently Hatake Kakashi, and he had spiky silvery hair that flopped over his left eye. He grinned lazily at Sakura and kept his 'Icha Icha Paradise' out of her line of vision.

"Good afternoon, Miss Haruno," Kakashi greeted her respectfully.

Sakura bowed slightly, still smiling nervously.

Finally, she reached the center of the 'stage' and the last judge became visible. Sakura did a double take when she saw him. His smile lightened his gorgeous face.

"Konnichiwa. I told you we'll meet again. . . Haruno Sakura," he smirked while locking gazes with her startled eyes.

Sakura was still shocked, but with some effort, she was able to whisper his name. . .

"Uchiha Sasuke. . ."

. . .to be continued. . .


	5. Chapter five

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto

**A/N:** Whoa, I'm still currently in a **state of shock**! 50 reviews for 4 chapters, which made me desperately happy and a bit nervous and pressured at the same time, hehe! Despite my very busy schedule in school (field trips, quizzes, auditorium presentations, Chinese tests etc) I am able to find time to work this fic out, yehah! (Cheers for me!)

Anyway, just felt like blabbering something out, please read on. . .

Beta-reader: Skye

* * *

**Chapter five**

"Uchiha Sasuke. . ." she whispered the teen's name once again, still barely audible. Sakura felt her face turn as pink as her hair at the same time, with good reason. Who would have thought that he'd be the third judge? She remembered how mean she had been the last time she saw him. _'Oh well,'_ she thought gloomily. _' What's the worst that could happen?'_

"It is Haruno Sakura, right? What a delicate name, so feminine, so soft. . . of course, it _is_ a flower" Sasuke grinned jeeringly, as if he was truly pleased with mocking her.

Sakura snorted. "Uchiha Sasuke, I came here to try out for the audition, not to be criticized by you!" she raised her arm and pointed a finger at him, still blushing furiously. _'Who cares if he's the judge or not, he will never make me cry!'_

Sasuke, who had been slightly put off by her accusation, regained his bearings. He did love a challenge. "Oh yes, very well. You are right, Haruno. But don't take that as a critique, I was complimenting you," Sasuke informed her rather callously.

Before Sakura could reply to the stoic teen, Kakashi gently cut her off. "So, I believe you already know each other. Is she a friend of yours, Sasuke?" He cocked an eyebrow, a bit surprised to see Sasuke to have _'friends'_.

Naruto butted in, "Sasuke has friends?" The blonde looked shocked. He then laughed hysterically.

Before Sakura could come up with a decent rebuttal, Sasuke looked at the men with dangerous onyx eyes. "We met a little while ago, this is a mere coincidence." he stated simply, trying not to tell everything about their eventful encounter.

Naruto ran towards Sakura and flashed her a huge grin. "So he's not your boyfriend? He's not? Is he?" he asked repeatedly like a 5-year old child would ask for a second piece of candy.

Sakura blushed hotly. "Of course not!" she snapped.

"Good! That's good!" Naruto smiled ecstatically then vaulted back to his seat.

"Can we just get this started, please?" Sakura asked the judges tiredly. Her day had already seemed to stretch on forever, and this weird blonde wasn't helping.

Kakashi nodded. Naruto followed suit, while Sasuke just stared at her. "Hm? Miss Haruno, we do need to ask you some more questions, you just wrote your name, address and telephone number on this piece of paper. . . We-" Kakashi spoke politely but was interrupted.

"We need to know more about you, Haruno, to see if you're worth our time." Sasuke informed her impatiently.

'**What the hell! Ino wrote that piece of paper, not us! It's not our fault! It's not! Don't you dare meddle in other people's business!'** Inner Sakura rebelliously protested.

Sakura winced, looked at Sasuke, who was smiling ever so slightly, and sighed. "Fine, fine, ask whatever you want, but please make it quick," she surrendered.

"Okay, Sakura! I can't wait to hear you sing," Naruto smiled warmly.

Sakura's blush, which had just begun to leave, returned.

"Age?" Kakashi asked while eyeing her, beginning the dreadful interrogation.

"Eighteen" Sakura answered.

"Birthday?" Sasuke asked.

"March 28" she replied.

"Favorite flavor of ramen?" Naruto asked sheepishly.

"Eh?" She asked while Naruto grinned, waiting for her reply.

"All," Sakura responded, slightly confused. Naruto, not that Sakura noticed, jumped for joy as well as he could in his chair.

"I thought so, we really are destined to be together!" he joked, while Sakura raised an eyebrow.

Kakashi glanced at Naruto then at Sakura. "Blood type?"

"Blood type O," Sakura replied calmly, although she was beginning to get a bit impatient.

"Occupation?" Naruto inquired.

"Painter, currently jobless" she lied. She actually had a fairly large amount of clients waiting for her, but the band didn't need to know that.

"Family?" Sasuke asked with more interest than she had anticipated.

Sakura's expression changed from surprise to gloom. "No father, no mother, no husband, and absolutely, no kids," she replied, yet inside it really hurt. _'And no boyfriend,'_ she added silently.

"I'm sorry," Naruto apologized.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Naruto," she simply smiled at him.

"Sasuke, enough with the questions, let's. . ." Naruto looked at Sasuke, who shot a glare at him.

"We need a singer and we're doing publicity here, Naruto," Sasuke replied. "Publicity is the exact opposite of privacy, which isn't allowed in the world of music. She must answer all these questions or she won't be able to fit in."

'_Fit in? What the hell?'_ Sakura asked herself, but stayed calm.

Naruto gritted his teeth. "Can't we just give the doll a break? I can tell that she's been going through a really rough time, why don't you have a heart for once, Sasuke?"

Sakura looked at Naruto and spoke in a whisper. "I do not need any pity from anyone."

Naruto fell silent, but Sasuke smirked.

"Ya' hear that, baka?" he chuckled and turned his attention to Sakura once again. "So, do you actually know where your parents are?"

"I don't know if they died or what, but after that terrible car accident, they vanished. Nobody's ever found their bodies and they didn't bother to come back." Sakura looked at Sasuke as if pleading him to stop. "I'm currently living with my two best friends that I've had since childhood."

Sasuke wore a solemn look on his face. "As you said earlier, you don't have a husband nor any children. Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked curtly.

"I do have friends," she said, trying to change the subject.

"Male friends, more than friends, lovers." Sasuke clarified, his tone implying that he thought her stupid.

Sakura mutely clenched her fists and tried to calm her temper. She stared passively at the ground.

"Haruno?" Sasuke asked impatiently.

Sakura then stormed over to Sasuke and looked at him with tears in her eyes. Angrily she shouted, "We just broke up, three days ago! I found him with another girl his apartment! Oh, you want me to clarify? He was making love in the shower with another girl! I snapped, I ended our relationship, and we haven't seen or spoken to each other since! Are you satisfied, Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sasuke stopped scribbling something on his notepad and looked straight into her bloodshot, teary eyes. "Well then, Haruno. One last question," he stated coolly.

"Enough, Sasuke. You too Sakura," Kakashi commanded. Unfortunately, Sasuke and Sakura were both too stubborn.

Sakura smirked. "Bring it on, Uchiha," she dared, still teary-eyed.

"Why are trying out for this audition?" he asked, undaunted by her earlier response.

Sakura, once again, fell silent.

"I'm waiting, Haruno."

She felt her heart sink, and looking at him with tears flowing from her eyes, she thought, _'How embarrassing, I'm. . . I'm crying, and he, Uchiha Sasuke, was the one who made me. . . who made me. . . cry. . . again. . .'_

"I tried out for this audition to. . ." she whispered shakily.

Sasuke seemed interested. So were Naruto and Kakashi, but that was to be expected.

"T-to forget about him, I. . . tried out for this audition, hoping to forget about _him!_" she yelled, then stood there sniffling and feeling empty.

"Haruno. . ." Sasuke whispered. _'So, this is what you want, Sakura.'_

"I want to forget him, I want to forget all about Gaara!" Sakura shouted, tears streaming from her beautiful emerald eyes down her flushed cheeks. She hung her head dejectedly.

"I want to forget Gaara. . ."

. . .to be continued. . .


	6. Chapter six

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**A/N: **Well, Sorry for the late update. . .Anyway, jaz wanna say to all those Neji/Sakura fans, Hmm? Please be a little patient, because it might take a while before Neji would enter the scene; satisfy yourself with Sasuke first, we can add up Neji later. Hehehehe. . .

Read and Enjoy. . .!

Beta-reader: Skye

* * *

**Chapter six**

Haruno Sakura couldn't stop the tears; she tried repeatedly but failed. The three judges became silent, especially Sasuke, who just kept staring at her with emotionless eyes. Inside, deep in his heart, he was terribly sorry for what he had done.

"I. . .I want to forget about Gaara," Sakura whispered, brushing her crystal tears away with the backs of both hands.

Kakashi glared at Sasuke, as if he was saying, _'This is what you want, right? Now you got it, satisfied already?' _Then he looked at Naruto.

"Please, Sakura. . ." Naruto whispered, breaking the silence. He tried to stand up to console Sakura but Sasuke held up an arm to stop him.

Sasuke stared at Naruto. "I started this mess, let me take care of it," Sasuke said calmly.

Naruto looked at him with a surprised expression, Sasuke was going to take care of a _crying girl?_ He never cared for anyone! Usually, with this kind of situation, he would just let the girl cry her heart out and simply leave halfway through.

With a surprised look still plastered on his face, Naruto sighed resignedly and left the whole thing to Sasuke.

The aforementioned teen took a deep breath and stared pointedly at Sakura. "Do you like singing?" he asked.

Sakura was surprised with the question. She looked at Sasuke suspiciously, and warningly inquired, "What are you saying, Uchiha?" She glared.

"Just answer the damn question, Haruno," Sasuke replied impatiently.

Sakura nodded curtly.

"Then, Haruno. . ." Sasuke smiled and sat back on his chair. ". . .Sing."

**'What the hell's wrong with ya? After everything you did? Are you crazy! I'm outta here!'** Inner Sakura roared.

"I can't stand another second in this room with a bastard like you!" Sakura shouted while following her Inner self's advice, wiping the tears from her eyes. She began to walk away, infuriated.

Naruto tried to stand up and stop Sakura but Kakashi gripped his arm and pulled him back down. Naruto looked at Kakashi, cocked his head and said, "Let's leave this to Sasuke, ne?"

Before Sakura could reach the doorknob, she heard Sasuke chuckling.

Incredibly irritated, Sakura looked back then shouted, "What's so funny, Uchiha!"

"You're weak."

"Wha. . . What!" she was taken aback. Her blood began to boil.

"I said you're weak." Sasuke coldly replied, "You're too weak to move on, to forget about your past. You don't think about the future anymore, nor the people that truly care for you."

Sakura was livid, but she remained silent.

"The first time I saw you, I thought you were a strong and lively girl. There was this bright and cheerful aura surrounding you, one that could make anybody happy." Sasuke spoke quietly, but Sakura had no problems hearing him. "But now. . . What happened to it?"

Sakura blinked. She was surprised to hear such words from Uchiha Sasuke, an infamously cold-hearted jerk. Naruto and Kakashi were pretty darn shocked too.

"I was wrong, you are weak, a pathetic little weakling." He finished his lecture. "You're not worth any of our time."

Sakura then looked back at him, straight in the eye. She stormed back to the judges' table and slammed it with both hands, not breaking her eye contact with Sasuke.

"How _dare_ you say those things to me?" Sakura screamed, "You want a song, you damn Uchiha! You'll get a song!" With that she stomped back into the center of the stage.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk inwardly. He leaned forward, waiting patiently for her to start.

Sakura brushed her tears away yet again and sighed. Anger did not make a good song. No matter how irritating the look on Uchiha's face was, she had to do her best.

_'I am not a weakling. . . I will prove it. . . I will move on. . . I. . . I can do this!' _Thoughts of encouragement flitted through Sakura's mind. She stood up a little bit straighter, and finally, she sang.

* * *

8-year-old Sakura gazed interestedly at the deep blue sky above her. She was amazed with the stars; they all looked so peaceful and calm. Smiling, she wished she could be like them, _just like them_.

Suddenly one of the stars started falling from the sky. She held her mother's hand tightly. "Mama. . . What's that?" she asked, pointing at the moving ball of light.

"Oh, Sakura, that's a shooting star." Her mother smiled peacefully, her bubblegum hair framing her face. "Make a wish, honey."

Sakura grinned and closed her eyes. Deep in her heart she made a wish, a secret wish for only her to know.

"You can open your eyes now, Sakura." Her mother's sweet voice echoed; Sakura looked up and grinned. Her mother smiled back and patted Sakura's head.

"Well, what did you wish for?" she asked.

"It's a secret!" Sakura blushed.

"Oh, c'mon, can't you tell it to your mommy?" Her mother asked teasingly. Sakura smiled.

"Okay, okay, but it's a secret!" Sakura warned seriously. She didn't want her wish to not come true, after all. Her mother nodded and sat down.

Sakura leaned closer and whispered into her ear, "I wish you and papa wouldn't leave me anymore. I always feel lonely whenever you both go away for work. I mean, sure, there's Ino and Hinata, but that's different," she said happily, "I wish we will be like this forever."

Sakura's mother smiled slowly. "Honey, please understand. We are doing this for you, and only for you because we love you." Her voice took on a teasing tone. "Someday, when you finally meet your knight in shining armor and you finally have your own kids, you'll understand," she laughed.

Sakura's cheeks reddened. "I'm not going to marry, because I'm ugly! Unlike you, mama," she quickly amended.

Her mother sighed and whispered to her, "You are beautiful, Sakura. And I mean that, inside and out." She smiled. "You're a brave girl. Someday, when you finally meet your prince charming, I know. . . you will be strong enough to love. . . even against all consequences."

_'You will be strong enough to love. . .'_

* * *

"Mama! Papa!" Little Sakura screamed, "What happened to my mama!" She asked the person beside her. Even though her right arm was bandaged and there were some bruises on her face, she tried to get up but someone stopped her.

It was midnight and pouring rain. She was being forced to stay calm, but Sakura cried and cried while trying to get out of the ambulance. She knew what happened. They died protecting her. . . her parents died protecting her.

_'All because I was weak. . .'_

"Please child. . . Calm down. . ." the nurse instructed worriedly.

"Where are they! What happened to my mama!" she cried hysterically.

"I'm sorry. . . They cannot find the bodies. . . Everybody's just assuming that they're already dead," the lady whispered.

Short words, but they changed Sakura's life nonetheless. Tears flowed down her cheeks while she stared numbly at the rain. She was alone. Everyone beside her were like puppets, faceless and emotionless. They don't know what she was going through. . . all they did for her was pretend.

'_Starting that day. . .I was marked as weak. . .'_

* * *

"Sakura! Wait!" A red-headed boy came running up to Sakura.

Sakura's shoulder length hair swayed as she looked behind her. She was in her school uniform and was about to go meet up with Ino and Hinata by the gate so they could head home. It was a surprise to see Gaara running towards her.

"Is something wrong, Gaara?" she asked her classmate kindly, paying full attention to him.

Gaara panted exhaustedly, "Sa. . . Sakura I have something to give you. . ."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, Gaara then grinned tiredly and handed her a bouquet of stunning pink roses.

"These are for you," his smile grew and he walked away. "Happy Birthday!"

She watched the figure slowly fading away. Sakura stared, still a bit shocked, at the blooming roses in her arms. Finally, she smiled ecstatically. When was the last time she smiled like that? Young Sakura sniffed the roses and walked to the gate to meet up with her friends. On the way, she was still smiling. . . and blushing. . .

* * *

Gaara grabbed a bathrobe and ran after his girlfriend. "Sakura, wait! I can explain!"

Sakura whirled around and faced Gaara with tears in her eyes. Why couldn't the tears just stop? "Gaara. . . let me go. . ." she whispered weakly.

"Sakura! I can explain everything. . . I didn't mean to! I swear!" Gaara grabbed her shoulders then looked her in the eyes.

"Let go of me. . ." she ordered patiently, looking away. Deep inside she really wanted to burst.

"I love. . ." Gaara shouted.

Sakura's blood boiled, she then faced Gaara, and eye-to-eye she shouted, "Shut the fuck up! Love? You don't know the meaning of that word! You don't know anything! We're fucking through! Now just let your fucking hands away from me before I fucking break them!" she roared, storming away.

"Sakura. . . I. . . " Gaara whispered.

Before Sakura completely left Gaara, she stopped. Not even looking at him, she muttered, "I can. . . I will live without you, bastard. I don't need you in my life!" she shouted, then ran away from her ex-boyfriend.

"Sakura. . ."

Sakura finally opened her eyes and felt tears with it. She looked at Sasuke, who was listening attentively. Then her gaze shifted to Naruto and Kakashi, who looked really amazed and surprised. Probably at the fact that she was singing while crying, she decided. Sakura brushed her tears away and decided to finish the audition. She took a deep breath and sang the highest notes. . .

_"I was wrong, you are weak, a pathetic little weakling."_

* * *

Yes. . . she was weak. Uchiha was right all along; she was not strong enough to love. . . She was not strong enough to move on. . . She wasn't even strong enough to try.

She was ready to give up. . . . ready to fall into oblivion.

Suddenly, she looked at the judges. The tears still couldn't be stopped, they were streaming from her beautiful emerald eyes. She stole a quick glance at Sasuke. . . he was smiling? It was incredibly minute, but it was sweet and she swore she could see of care and a bit of pity on his face.

Sakura was surprised, yet inside she felt warm. She felt someone was there for her, ready to care for her, willing to love her.

Kakashi and Naruto looked really pleased and relaxed, unlike Sasuke, who continued to gaze at her with deep serious eyes. Sakura suddenly felt uneasy, and just wanted to finish the silly audition and go on with her normal life. A life _without_ Gaara.

She smiled inside. She would be strong. It was silly of her to think about giving up, she wasn't going to lose to a bastard like Sasuke. She was going to prove to everybody that she was no weakling. Just like her mother taught her.

She continued to sing, full of courage and confidence.

Finally, the song ended. Kakashi applauded, a grin creeping onto his face. Naruto grinned and gave her an exuberant standing ovation. Sasuke wore a pleased look on his face and clapped his hands. He chose to stay seated, however.

Sakura smiled and bowed, signaling the end of her song. Sasuke stood up with an cocky smile on his face.

"Well, Sakura. . . Good work," he congratulated.

Sakura smiled the sweetest smile she knew. "Thank you, Sasuke," she replied. "Oh, I forgot to give you this."

Sasuke felt a sharp stinging pain on the left side of his face, he looked really shocked. Sakura slapped him. Haruno Sakura just slapped _Uchiha Sasuke_! Kakashi and Naruto both had their mouths hanging open.

"Goodbye, blue-haired bastard," Sakura spat, "Hopefully for good." The pissed-off teen stalked out of the room.

The three were silent. Sasuke was still surprised, yet glad at the same time. He touched his stinging cheek, where Sakura slapped him, and laughed.

Naruto whispered to Kakashi, "Whoa. . . That went well, Sasuke's going crazy!" He joked while Kakashi smiled and nodded.

_'Finally, you're back, Sakura. . .' _Sasuke thought to himself.

Outside the audition room, an impatient Yamanaka Ino greeted her friend. Sakura looked at her with a raised eyebrow, but just sighed wearily and strode ahead. She was too tired to do battle with the forces of Ino again.

Ino followed her, "Well. . . we're a bit silent today. Aren't you going to tell me something about what happened inside?" she asked excitedly.

Sakura sighed. "I tried my best. . .but I guess it's not enough," she lied.

Ino smiled. "That's okay. . . at least you tried," she comforted her friend.

Sakura couldn't stand lying to her friend and stopped walking, turned to face her eye-to-eye and breathed heavily. "Ino, I walked out of the audition," she sighed, already resigning herself to her fate of never hearing the end of this conversation.

Ino's eyes widened. "What!" she asked, her tone one of disbelief.

"I'm sorry. . . Sa-. . . Something came up," Sakura said tiredly. She looked at her friend with teary eyes.

Ino started to reply, but noticed the redness in Sakura's eyes. Realizing that Sakura must have been crying, Ino stopped talking, and simply patted Sakura on the head.

"Oh well. . .You tried your best, and that's fine with me," she smiled, "I understand, Sakura."

"Thank you. . . Ino." Sakura grinned with relief. No long-lived lectures for today, at least.

"But still. . ." Ino joked, "You're treating me to ice cream!"

"Sure, Ino. . ." Sakura smiled, she might as well start being strong for the people around her now. For the people who care for her, like Hinata and Ino. . . and especially for herself. Although she sighed, she knew that she would always have friends to support her, through thick and thin.

_'I will be strong enough. . .'_


	7. Chapter seven

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**A/N:** Hello! I've been a very bad girl, right? Anyway, as usual, sorry for the late update! But I hope you like this chapter, though, I admit. . . It's a bit senseless than the other chapters, so kindly join me. . . and let's bare with it. . .

Beta-reader: Skye

* * *

**Chapter seven**

Exhaustedly, Sakura walked up the wooden stairs to her room. She didn't feel lonely, even though she was the only one in the house. Ino left her a minute ago, saying something about an important meeting that she completely forgot. Hinata left a note by the fridge, which said she was going to come home late because of an 'urgent matter'.

Sakura grumbled, she was so tired that she wanted to fall asleep where she stood and not wake up for a week. The unforgettable audition had left her really beat, and she must admit that she was a bit disappointed that it didn't work out. She rummaged through her sling bag, searching for the key to her room.

Sakura grinned as she finally found her key. She succeeded in opening the door and walked inside. Quickly placing the bag on top of a table and jumping onto her bed, she was all ready to visit dreamland.

Just before Sakura could close her eyes, a vivid image of somebody invaded her mind. It was unexpected, to say the least. _'Uchiha Sasuke. . .?'_

'**I thought so! You have feelings for that blue haired bastard!' **Inner Sakura gloated.

"No, I don't!" Haruno Sakura argued, "I hate him!"

'**Oh really? Girl, you gotta admit, he's somehow helped you move on,'** Inner Sakura said pointedly.

Sakura sat up and whispered, "He never helped me, and he didn't even know what I was going through," she spoke angrily. "I don't need a help from an Uchiha, specifically Uchiha Sasuke!"

**'Pfeh. You like him.'**

Sakura was too tired to argue more with her inner self so she gave up. She stood up, reached for her pink bathrobe, and smiled.

"All I need is a nice hot bath, and to forget about this whole thing." She smiled to herself. "After a bath, I'll go to sleep and when I finally wake up, I'll move on with my normal life, one without Sasuke. . . and without Gaara."

'_I'm not going to cry anymore, Gaara. . . Not anymore. . .'_

* * *

"Well? What do you think? Does _he_ have any star quality?" a man with spiky grayish hair asked.

"Nope, definitely not. . ." A silly blonde and a raven-haired teen both shook their heads.

The eldest of the three sighed, "Well, we have to choose already. . . we need a good singer for the band as early as possible. Well? Any candidates?"

The three were silent, but the childlike blonde broke the ice and grinned.

"Come to think of it," he laughed, "There was only one that really fascinated me."

The man smiled. "I'll say, she's beautiful, sexy and most importantly, contains a sweet singing soul. She's not much of a dirty, rock type-girl, but I think that can be fixed." He spoke professionally as he picked up the orange book that lay facedown in front of him. "She also has this sort of energy that could charm and entertain any person. For sure."

The blonde grinned like a Cheshire cat, complete with whisker marks. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

The spiky-haired guy smiled, "I_ guess _we already have our star." He then looked at the raven-haired guy beside him. "We're still leaving the final decision to you."

"Don't hesitate," The raven-haired one spoke tonelessly before turning his back and leaving, "She's perfect."

Yet again, the two remaining members of the band's surprised noises filled the room. They both stared at the retreating figure of Uchiha Sasuke.

"Ehh. . . guess we need to make an appointment with her as soon as possible. . ."

* * *

Sakura looked at herself in the mirror while waiting for the bathtub to fill. She sighed, she really did look dead on her feet. Who wouldn't be? After an afternoon filled with unexpected surprises, she looked a lot older than eighteen years old.

She left the bathroom to find her set of aromatherapy candles. Finding them beside her bed, she returned to the bathroom, lit some and placed them in a safe place.

Sakura decided to have a quick but relaxing bubble bath. She poured some scented liquid in the tub and after a while bubbles started to appear.

She glanced at the bottle randomly and shrieked, "Damn, how could I forget! This stuff is freaking expensive!

"But, I'll do anything for a relaxing night. One night is all it'll take," Sakura sighed and slid into the tub.

Relaxed, Sakura smiled while performing her usual cleansing ritual. But that time, it was a bit different. The lively girl was humming a simple yet lovely tune that her mom used to sing for her when she was little.

'_Whoa, I'm starting to like singing a lot. . . It's making me relaxed and I think it's helping me forget about. . . problems and stuff,'_ she realized.

'**Aha! So you _do_ admit that Sasuke was right!' **Inner Sakura gloated.

"Will you drop the Uchiha issue? I'm trying to forget about him already!" Sakura complained. She then began to contemplate what she had said.

"But," she spoke in a barely audible whisper, "Can I really forget him? The one man that gave me new light and. . .

_"Hope. . ."_

* * *

Haruno Sakura woke up as the sun's rays shone through her windows and illuminated her smooth face. She smiled peacefully, for she knew that this was no ordinary day. It was going to be beyond ordinary; she felt light and once again, she felt that long-lost feeling. . . happiness.

The night before had been a peaceful night, after she took a long hot bubble bath. She was able to have a decent and peaceful sleep, which Sakura hadn't had for a long time. She had been too depressed and sad. Strangely enough, everything turned out just fine. The result was a wonderful, active mood when she awoke.

Sakura quickly jumped out of her bed and sprinted towards the bathroom. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and smiled at her reflection. Smiles really did make you look younger.

She rushed downstairs with her pink pajamas still on. There she saw her two best friends who appeared to be in the opposite mood of hers. Ino sipped her coffee while Hinata cooked pancakes and eggs quietly. They didn't seem to notice Sakura's presence.

"Good mornin'" Sakura greeted her friends cheerily while bounding down the stairs.

"Hey! You're awake already?" Ino asked, clearly as startled as Hinata was.

Sakura grinned, "Why do you look so surprised?"

"Maybe you need more rest, Sakura," Hinata whispered, full of concern for her lifelong friend. Ino nodded in agreement.

"Nah, why would I? I should help you guys!" Sakura exclaimed while sitting beside Ino. "I'm sorry, I know I've been a terrible nuisance for the both of you."

Hinata placed the pancakes and eggs on the table gently and sat beside Sakura. She hugged her friend and flashed Sakura a big smile.

"You were never a nuisance to any of us," Hinata corrected, "Right, Ino?"

"Yep!" Ino grinned and finished off her coffee. "Anyways, what are you going to do now? Well, you know, the audition's already over and, I mean, you need to do _something_, right?"

"Well, I don't know" Sakura sighed, "I mean, I still can't paint. . . I guess I'll go find another nice job."

Hinata sadly sighed, "Well, I think we're both jobless at the moment."

"Huh? Hina? What happened?" Ino and Sakura asked in unison.

"Well. . . Remember last night, when I left a note by the fridge? I was told to go to the agency I worked for," Hinata shuddered, "They made a surprise cooking test. I guess I wasn't prepared enough, so. . ."

"Oh, Hina!" Sakura embraced her friend, "I'm sorry."

"I failed, Sakura." Hinata smiled. "But I did not let it ruin my life! I'll stand up again, and who knows? I might find a better job!"

Sakura grinned and felt proud of her friend. She wished she could be like Hinata, who wasn't afraid to fail and if she did, she'd still do her best to finish what she started.

"Why not look at other careers, Hina? Like maybe. . .Designing! Yeah! You're pretty good at designing things, I must say!" Ino suggested.

"Thanks Ino, I'll think about it." Hinata smiled. "Oh, aren't you a bit late for work?" she inquired.

Ino yelped, quickly took a huge bite of her pancake, and snatched the suitcase beside her. She yelled something that sounded like "Wood dye!" to Sakura and Hinata as she ran towards the door. Sakura snorted, Hinata giggled, and the two burst into laughter.

"What's the difference? She's never on time anyway," Sakura gasped between giggles.

"She better change that attitude of hers, or else all of us will be considered jobless," Hinata joked.

Sakura and Hinata finished their breakfast. It was absolutely delicious; Hinata always cooked the best meals. However, she was the exact opposite of Ino, who was a complete workaholic and not patient enough to do house chores. Sakura admired both her friends for their different talents, she just had no clue what they liked about her.

Sakura was instructed to wash the dishes while Hinata fixed the table. After a while, the telephone rang.

"I'll get it, Sakura," Hinata volunteered, "Just keep at the dishes, I'll be right back." Sakura nodded and continued her painfully boring work.

The expression on Hinata's cheerful face changed when she answered the telephone. Sakura could sense it. Hinata looked at her with mournful eyes, causing Sakura to stop washing dishes and approach her suddenly gloomy friend.

"Hina? What's wrong?" Sakura asked curiously, "Who's on the other line?"

Hinata gulped but she didn't hang up the phone. "I. . . I really don't think you want to know, Sakura," Hinata whispered.

"Hinata, who is it?" Sakura's tone changed, she was a bit frightened but she acted brave to give her friend confidence.

Hinata gulped. "It's. . . It's Gaara," she whispered, "He wants to talk to you."

Sakura, though she was scared at first, felt her blood boil and started becoming rather angry. He had a lot of nerve to call her! After what he did! No way! But, she thought, it will be childish of her to just hang up the phone and pretend she never knew him. She had to act mature and brave, she couldn't run away from Gaara forever. Someday, she would have to face him. And, she thought, this is the perfect opportunity.

Sakura sighed. "Ok, Hina," she whispered bravely, "Give me the phone."

Hinata was surprised yet proud at the same time. She handed the phone to Sakura and spoke quietly. "I'll be right in the kitchen, take your time, Sakura. I'll handle your chores," she smiled.

"Thanks, Hina," Sakura winked at her friend. Hinata left instantly.

"Hello?" Sakura said to Gaara.

"Hello? Sakura? Sakura!" Gaara exclaimed, "I. . .I'm so happy you're not hiding from me anymore!"

Sakura was silent. She didn't know what to say. Hiding? She wasn't hiding, she was trying to recover from the pain _he_ caused her. Didn't he know that? What a total bonehead.

Sakura started, "Um. . .If you want me to return all those things that you gave me," she tried to think up a decent lie, "I'm sorry, but I already burned it all."

They were both silent, Sakura felt Gaara getting nervous.

"Sakura, I know what you were thinking," Gaara stated, "And really, I'm very happy because I've been given a chance to. . . talk to you again, to just, hear your voice."

"What are you implying, Gaara?" Sakura asked impatiently.

"Sakura. . ." Gaara's voice turned serious. "I. . . I'm really sorry"

Sakura was speechless, though anger still devoured her. She just bottled it all up inside and didn't say anything. Sakura couldn't even react. It was still Gaara she was talking to.

"Please, Sakura. . ." Gaara whispered, "Please forgive me. . .and say something?"

Sakura thought it was about time to tell him what she really felt, so she mustered her courage and spoke. "Gaara. . . I was really hurt when I saw you. . .um, you know. But. . . I guess, I'm also thankful because. . . because that happened, I became stronger and I know now that I can still make it. . ." she whispered, ". . . even without you, Gaara."

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked.

"Gaara. . ." Sakura tried to stop her tears, "I am formally ending our relationship."

Gaara's voice became louder and began to waver. "Sakura! Wait! It was all a mistake!" he whimpered, "I'm still in love with _you_, Sakura!"

Sakura's tears started to flow, but she pretended to be strong to convince Gaara that she had moved on. "Stop it. . . Gaara, please," she begged.

"Sakura. . . I still love you!" Gaara shouted. Sakura could tell that he was crying.

"I'm sorry, Gaara. . ." Sakura finally announced bravely and whispered, ". . .Goodbye. . ."

"Sakura! Wait!" Gaara protested but Sakura didn't bother to listen. She hung up on him.

The pale, green-eyed teen was crying but she made sure Hinata didn't hear her. She tried to hide it all. She sat at the corner and cried. . . just cried. It was finally all over. Sakura didn't know that it would so much. She had learned that if she loved someone too much, it would hurt her even more when the whole thing came crashing down around her.

Yet somehow, she felt light as a feather. Was it really all over? Could she have a fresh start?

The phone rang again.

Fear tore through Sakura's insides. She felt her fingers became numb. She slowly stood up, wiped her tears away and reached for the phone, her hand shaking.

'_What if it's Gaara? I. . . I can't talk to him anymore. . .I'll just let my anger devour me. . . and who knows what will happen?'_ she thought worriedly.

'**Don't be afraid, Sakura. You and Gaara are through already!'** Inner Sakura cheered, **'You have the right to shout at him or be angry at him! It's none of his business!'**

_'You're not helping, inner self.'_ Sakura sighed.

'**Oops! Okay! Okay! I'll just shut up, stand in the corner, and watch you do something foolish _again_!'** Inner Sakura threatened.

'_Answer?'_

'_Don't answer!'_

_'Answer it?'_

_'Don't answer!'_

Sakura reached for the phone, and as expected, exploded as soon as she held it to her ear. "Leave me alone, Gaara! We're fucking through already!" she shouted.

Her rage seemed to give the person on the other line a heart attack.

"Uh. . .Can. . .I please speak to. . .Miss Haruno Sakura?" the female voice on the other line whimpered.

"Oh Kami! Gomen-ne! I didn't mean to shout at you. . ." Sakura blushed furiously. "This is Sakura speaking, may I ask who's calling?"

"Uh, yes, yes. . .I'm Anna of KTV corporation," Anna sighed, "Congratulations, Ms. Haruno!"

"Huh? For what?" Sakura asked.

"You passed the audition," Anna finally smiled (not that Sakura could tell). "The judges have agreed on you and they wish to set an appointment with you tomorrow afternoon at this place and time. . . please write it down. . ."

Sakura quickly got hold of a piece of paper and a pencil. She scribbled down the address, thanked Anna and hung up the phone.

Saying 'she was surprised' was an understatement. She actually made it? After the stupid things she did? She was part of the band!

Sakura was overjoyed. Finally, the sign she'd been waiting for, a fresh start. . . in the world of music!

"But, I bet that Uchiha has something to do with this," Sakura sighed. The new lead singer continued grumbling as she headed down the stairs.

'_He's trying to help me move on,' _Sakura laughed out loud. _'That bastard. . ._

'_Thank you anyway. . .'_


	8. Chapter eight

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**A/N:** Here's chapter eight! Well, I was hoping that I'll be updating real fast this week, but I guess it'll be a bit impossible. I'm having a hard time figuring out what will happen next in this story, there I admit. As I told you before, this story is not quite clear in my mind yet. I'm really going through a difficult time, I have to keep my grades up, or else. . .Face mother's wrath. . .But I'll try so don't worry, I won't neglect this story!

_Although, It may take a while in updating. . ._

Beta-reader: Skye

* * *

**Chapter eight**

Haruno Sakura still couldn't believe it. She slowly went down to their kitchen area for a glass of water, still astonished. Sakura once again stared at the small handwritten paper and sat down beside Hinata.

"Well?" Hinata asked, a bit cautiously just in case something not-so-great happened. "How's Gaara?"

Sakura snapped her head up and looked at Hinata with a smile, which surprised the dark-haired girl.

"Oh, don't worry," Sakura assured her, "We're both fine now, I just cleared everything up. . . I, uh. . . officially ended our relationship."

Hinata was speechless.

"Although, I don't think he accepted it," Sakura continued softly, "He still can't move on. . . like I did. I guess I do pity him, after all, we were friends once," she admitted.

"Oh, Sakura," Hinata hugged her friend apologetically, "I'm so sorry"

Sakura patted her friend on the head. "You've done nothing wrong, Hina," she smiled, "Actually, you really are a big help, you let me talk to. . .Gaara again. Of course, Ino helped a lot too."

Hinata looked up at her friend, her face worried like she still thought Sakura was faking her cheerful attitude. She could see the pain in Sakura's eyes, even though she tried to hide it. Hinata could tell that Sakura had been crying a lot.

"Thank you, Hina," Sakura spoke softly, assuring the girl that nothing was wrong. She didn't want to be a nuisance to anyone anymore, especially her friends.

Hinata simply smiled and sighed. _'I guess only time can heal Sakura's wounds now. . . only time.'_

Sakura smiled with relief; the unwanted conversation about Gaara was over. She didn't remember the fact that she was a member of a band until one of her hands brushed the paper she had written the address on.

"Oh my goodness!" Sakura exclaimed, then happily faced her friend. "I totally forgot to tell you the good news, Hina!"

"What?" Hinata asked excitedly, "What's this good news of yours?"

"I did it, Hina!" Sakura started bouncing in her seat ecstatically, which made Hinata all the more curious and excited.

"What is it, Sakura?" Hinata asked impatiently, "Tell me already!"

"I didn't expect to go this far! I made a really, _really_ big mess at the audition!" Sakura confessed to her friend, remembering Sasuke, "But. . .But. . .I did it!" she grinned.

Hinata squeaked and covered her mouth in disbelief. "Sakura. . .You. . .Really?"

Sakura simply nodded.

Hinata couldn't believe it. She asked Sakura again. "You mean. . . ?"

The cherry-haired teen merely nodded once again.

Hinata jumped a bit and hugged her friend. "I'm so happy for you, Sakura! Finally, you have a job! This is perfect!"

"Yeah, I'm really excited, though I must admit, I might fail," Sakura sighed. "I mean, this is show business. . . nothing's permanent in _that_ world."

"But, Sakura. . ." Hinata reminded her friend, "Just give it your best shot! Then, maybe. . .you'll recover and you can finally go back to painting again!"

"Oh, I already miss art," Sakura sighed dreamily. "Well, I do need to help with the bills in this house, this is the perfect job opportunity, and I can't _always_ depend on you guys! But I know I've got lots of moral support, right?"

Hinata smiled at her friend. "Of course, Sakura! We'll be there for you!" she exclaimed. "Oh, this is for tomorrow afternoon right?"

Sakura nodded another time.

"I'll help you choose the perfect outfit! I'll help you with everything, Sakura! Well, as much as I can, that is," Hinata blushed.

"Thanks again, Hina," Sakura smiled, "I mean. . . a lot."

"No problem, Sakura!" Hinata smiled, then joked, "Just imagine, Haruno Sakura. . .talk of the town, envy of many, a famous rock singer! Oh, we have to tell Ino all about this!"

"Well, _that_ I almost forgot," Sakura giggled while going up the stairs once again. "I might as well give her a phone call. She'll freak out!"

"After that," Hinata added cheerfully, "You might want to take a nice warm bath, practice a bit and then rest for your meeting tomorrow."

"Yes, of course," Sakura smiled.

"I can hardly wait for tomorrow. I'm really happy for you!" Hinata joked, "I can't wait for my friend to be a. . .superstar!" she quietly giggled.

Sakura laughed but thought about the possibility of that happening. She smiled sweetly at the thought and started dialing the number to Ino's office. It rang. . .

'_Stardom?' _Sakura asked herself while waiting for someone to answer the phone.

'_Hmm?. . .Not bad, not bad at all. . .'_

* * *

_Meanwhile, at KTV corporation. . . _

"Well, Anna." Uchiha Sasuke asked while signing some papers at his office, "Have you done what I instructed you to do?"

"Ha-Hai!" Anna replied hastily, "I already called Haruno Sakura for her meeting with the _band_ tomorrow afternoon."

"Good," Sasuke stated calmly, "Then, Anna, you may continue your work."

Anna nodded and silently left Sasuke's office. Sasuke stood up and walked towards the terrace. He took a deep breath, remembering when Sakura slapped him, hard on the face. Sasuke thought it was entertaining, finally somebody who could stand up to him (besides Kakashi and Naruto, of course). From the very start of her turn, he just had this feeling that it would be _her_.

"Haruno Sakura," the raven-haired boy grinned, "I believe you're the one that _I_, no, _we_ went looking for since _he_ left."

"The one who can help the band up from its downfall. But that happened a long time ago. . ."

* * *

_The next morning, inside Sakura's room. . ._

"What!" Hinata exclaimed.

"C'mon Hina," Sakura repeated, "Please accompany me? I. . .I'm really getting nervous!"

"B. . .But," Hinata hesitated, "I'm not even invited!"

"Please? For me!" Sakura begged with the closest thing to puppy dog eyes she could manage.

"How about Ino?" Hinata suggested. "She's a better negotiator than me!"

Sakura sighed and sat on her pink, comfortable bed. "But Hina," she weakly stated, "She's too busy, and I already asked her this morning."

Hinata was silent for a moment, having second thoughts.

"Please?" Sakura begged with a smile, "I'll just tell them that you are. . . a very close friend of mine and. . ."

Hinata raised an eyebrow, still contemplating Sakura's offer. Sakura smiled mischievously.

"What?" Hinata asked nervously, "I don't like that smile of yours, because it only means one thing! You've thought up something I'm not gonna like."

". . .and my personal wardrobe designer!" Sakura exclaimed, "That's it! It's perfect! You need a job right?"

"I. . .I don't know, Sakura," Hinata frowned doubtfully, "I just don't know."

"Come on, Hina, spice up your life!" Sakura clapped her hands together and stood up. "I really want to help you somehow, and this is the perfect opportunity! Besides, I know deep down inside of you, you really want a designing job a _lot_,"

"How can you say that?" Hinata asked, blushing.

"I've seen your personal note book," Sakura grinned, "It's full of wonderful sketches and designs of clothing! Hmm? I do think it'll be great if you publish your work at _Cool Teen Magazine!_" she cooed.

Hinata blushed hotly. "Hey!"

"Oops!" Sakura smiled, "Sorry, that just slipped out, anyway. . .Come on, Hina! What do you have to lose?"

Hinata was silent for a moment.

"Alright!" She raised her hands in surrender, smiling. "I accept your offer."

Sakura jumped for joy, paused, and winked at her friend.

"Maybe you could catch some hunky showbiz guy for yourself, Hina!" Sakura joked. "Hm? Not bad, and maybe you'll finally find a good boyfriend. . ."

"Sakura!" Hinata's blush darkened.

"Okay, okay, geez," Sakura grinned, "Only joking!"

Sakura then entered her bathroom and decided to have a quick yet refreshing bath. Hinata began searching through her room, looking for a decent outfit for herself while Sakura was bathing. Well, Hinata thought, she was going to have to look good whenever Sakura was around. Sakura was going to become different, if only in her status. Not the artist they once knew her as, but something more extraordinary.

Her life was going to change once she set foot in _that_ world. She'd have a new environment, new and extremely busy schedules, and new friends. Probably. But, of course, Hinata and Ino would always be in her life, for better or worse.

After finding her outfit, Hinata looked through Sakura's outfit to find the soon-to-be star something decent to wear. She searched through hundreds of jeans, skirts and blouses, but finally she found the perfect match.

_Pink _is really Sakura's color, Hinata thought. However, sometimes pink can be too girly. So if you match her with a sporty but a bit girly look it'd be nice to look at. Hinata chose a baby pink blouse with a cute collar and short sleeves and matched it with a white, sporty skirt that probably ended just above Sakura's knees, which wasn't too revealing. She choose two armbands with both pink and white stripes that matched Sakura's blouse and skirt well. Hinata also gathered pink, thin, school socks and Sakura's favorite white rubber shoes. To finalize the outfit, she added Sakura's personal white painter's hat and placed the outfit softly on Sakura's pink bed.

"All done!" Hinata sighed and smiled. "This is marvelous, who would've thought some old stuff dumped in her closet for a long time could still be useful?" She knocked on her friend's bathroom door.

"Sakura? A-Are you done yet?"

"I guess. . ." Sakura answered unsurely, ". . .not, I'll be out in a minute, you better take a bath and dress up too, Hina."

"Yeah," Hinata agreed. "I'll be in my room. Oh, your clothes are already on top of your bed."

"Thanks Hina," Sakura stated.

"You're welcome," Hinata softly replied as she went up to her room.

After a while, Sakura stepped out of the bathroom, drying her hair. Suddenly, she noticed the outfit Hinata had prepared for her.

Sakura was in shock. "Oh, Kami!" she marveled at the fabric, "This is so. . .me. . . I can't believe it!"

'**You better believe it, girl! This is really happening, you better get used to it. You're going to be a superstah! You have to wear clothes as pretty as that from now on!'** Inner Sakura instructed.

"Yes. . .I guess I should," Sakura agreed and rushed towards her bathroom to try on her outfit.

Time passed and Sakura stepped out of the bathroom with the chosen outfit on her. She then quietly and nervously walked towards her full-length mirror. Taking a deep breath, she looked at herself with marvel.

"W-Wow," Sakura thought, "Is that really me? I look. . . I look. . ." Sakura stared in amazement.

'**Finally, you look like a human, but this really looks better on me, ya know!'** Inner Sakura argued.

"You are just so lucky, inner self," Sakura smiled, "I'm such in a good mood today!"

Hinata knocked on Sakura's bedroom door and slowly entered.

"Are you ready? Sakura?" Hinata asked. "Wow, I was right, it really looks good on you!" She sighed in relief.

Sakura ran towards her friend and gave her a bear hug. "Oh, thank you so much, Hinata! What would a star-to-be do without you?" Sakura joked.

Hinata quietly giggled then gave one last look at the outfit. "Hmm? I think something's missing."

"I know!" Sakura brightened and ran towards her wooden cabinet, searching for something. "Aha! This will do the trick!"

"What is it?" Hinata asked, full of curiosity.

"It's the hankie you gave me!" Sakura grinned, "It's a bit of a wreck, because some bastard ruined it, but I think this was the one that gave me luck at the audition!"

Hinata smiled and looked at Sakura who was holding another hankie. "And that?" she asked.

Sakura smiled, blushing. "This? Well, maybe this hankie was the one who gave me. . .confidence. . .at the audition."

"Oh, that must be from someone _special_, too," Hinata teased.

"Yeah, maybe so. . ." Sakura answered.

"Well, are you ready to go?" Hinata asked, opening the door.

"Absolutely," Sakura answered with a happy expression.

She slipped Hinata's hankie in her small pocket and whispered, "For luck." It was followed by the other hankie with the initials _U.S._ printed on it. Sakura then whispered, "For confidence. . ."

_'For confidence. . .Uchiha Sasuke. . .'_

. . . to be continued. . .

* * *

**A/N: **Finally, all the Neji fans out there get ready for Neji's appearance for the next chapter! Yes, Neji's going to appear in the next chapter! Isn't it exciting? I already figured it out just up until the next chapter, hehe! anyway, I promise it would be so nice. (Nice only!) Anyway, I cannot promise for a quick update though, School's starting, semestral break's ending. . .uh, what a dull life. Anyway, keep the reviews coming and thanks by the way! I really appreciate it! Oh, I'm also sorry because this story is a bit rushed. . ! Sorry! 


	9. Chapter nine

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**A/N:** Chapter nine's here! Well, I think you all now have a little, just a little, idea about the story I'm _trying_ to create, ne? I'm so happy; I already have time to update faster! Well, that's fast enough for _me_. Anyway, sorry for the last chapter, it's a bit rushed, I admit! Oops, I'm talking nonsense again, please read on!

Beta-reader: Skye

* * *

**Chapter nine**

"Well, are you ready?" Hinata asked her pink haired friend nervously while staring at the tall building, KTV Corporation, looming in front of the two.

"I don't know," Sakura replied, also nervous. "Are you?" she asked while staring up at the skyscraper, shakily holding her friend's hand.

"This is it, Sakura," Hinata looked at her with a smile on her face, "Let's go!" She started to walk forward, but Sakura hesitated.

"W-we still have time, Hina!" Sakura backed away a bit.

"Time for what?" Hinata asked, confused.

"To go home and forget about this whole thing!" Sakura replied worriedly.

"Oh c'mon, you're just being silly! You always get scared at the last minute, but it all works out!" Hinata persisted, "I know you can do it!"

Sakura sighed then sat down on one of the front steps. "Maybe, I'm just too nervous, Hina," she glanced up at her friend, "This building. . .it's full of famous people and celebrity stuff! This is where they make stars! I don't think I'm up to that yet! I just want a normal life with you and Ino!"

"But Sakura," Hinata insisted, "We got this far."

_This far_. It had certainly taken them a while. KTV Corp was located in the heart of the city, and the two girls had some difficulties in finding it, even though it was the tallest building. Sakura was glad Hinata agreed to go, her sense of direction was absolute nil but Hinata's was decent enough. She probably would have gotten lost if the white-eyed girl hadn't come.

"Yeah. . .I'm sorry," Sakura apologized. "I've let you down." She covered her face with her bare hands.

Hinata was silent and bit disappointed at the same time. Sakura was really excited that morning, but then what happened? Hinata knew that she was too nervous. She was always like this. At the last minute, with all the pressure, _that_ was when Sakura'd realize the situation and freak out.

Hinata smiled, sat down beside Sakura and like a true friend gave her the biggest grin she could manage. Hinata then saw Sakura's hankie fall out from her pocket. She quickly grabbed it and an idea popped into her head.

"Have confidence, Sakura." Hinata smiled. "You bought your lucky hankie today, remember?"

Sakura looked at her and was relieved when she saw Sasuke's handkerchief. Sakura smiled. She really did want to move on. Not only that, she also wanted to see Sasuke again. Even though there was only a small possibility that they could meet again. Yet, she still hoped.

She kept having this feeling that he was going to leave a big impact on her life, and that made her even more curious. Sakura realized that, while she might have to work with him, Sasuke could just be some rich critique or businessman who never cared about music at all.

"Thanks, Hina." Sakura smiled, stood up, got her hankie and placed it inside her pocket.

Hinata nodded then smiled. "Have faith in yourself, Sakura," she whispered. "You can do it! Ino and I always believed in you and that's not changing now!"

Sakura smiled. _'They have faith in me. . .I can't fail them, I have to do this! It'll be a snap!'_ she cheered mentally.

Sakura took a deep breath. "I'm ready now, Hina." Sakura led the way to the double doors. "Let's go!"

Hinata smiled. _'I know you can do it, Sakura, I just know you can.' _She then followed her friend inside KTV Corp.

'_I know you can. . .'__

* * *

_

Anna didn't give Sakura the exact room number, so when the two entered quietly, they took a moment to stare at everything and feel lost. Classy gold doors, shiny floors, people walking around in suits and the latest fashions were only some of the things they saw. KTV Corp was too elegant and fitted only for stars. The pair could see glamorous people, models, singers, and famous actors and actresses all walking around, talking or filling out papers.

Sakura began to feel even more nervous. Hinata couldn't stop blushing. Cautiously, they approached the reception desk. The duo was amazed but tried their best to control their excitement. As a result, both kept unusually silent.

"Sakura," Hinata whispered nervously, "I think I'll go to the ladies' room first."

Sakura stared at her friend. "Are you okay, Hina?" she asked. "Do you want me to come with you?" Sakura could feel Hinata's nervousness and was worried about her.

Hinata shook her head and flashed a tiny smile. "Don't worry, Sakura! Just ask that woman by the counter and go wherever she tells you to," she pointed at the reception lady, "I'll be right back, I think I can manage alone and...uh, don't bother waiting for me, we'll be wasting precious time, you're already a bit late."

Sakura hesitated for a moment but Hinata grinned.

"I'll catch up with you, don't worry," she promised. "I know you can do it, Sakura! Good luck!" she cheered encouragingly.

Sakura smiled then nodded and watched Hinata walk away and start finding the ladies room. She took a deep breath, mustered her courage and marched towards the reception area.

There were only two receptionists. One was talking to a man just a few steps away from Sakura's left. The other one was busy chatting on the phone.

'_Great! Just what I need!'_ Sakura groaned and started waiting for the one on the phone to do her job. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to notice Sakura's presence. She was probably too busy and preoccupied with her gossip. Sakura sighed and glanced at the guy on her left.

Sakura found him a bit weird. He was wearing a simple, dirty white jacket, which was open and revealed his obviously expensive black shirt. He was also wearing another obviously expensive pair of jeans. But the weirdest thing was the cap and sunglasses he was wearing, it even though he was indoors. Almost like he was trying to hide his face.

Sakura couldn't care less. She glanced to her right and saw a bunch of people carrying cameras, video and still. Sakura assumed they were the media. She sighed. Of course, there were lots of actors and singers in KTV Corporation. No surprise the media was hanging out here.

She looked at the receptionist once more and tried getting her attention, but failed. The woman was to busy with her chatting, so Sakura decided to just wait for the guy on her left to finish and she'd ask the other lady. This one was hopeless.

She moved a bit, and kept staring at the guy. He pushed his glasses up, hiding from the crowd. Sakura stood a few steps away from him and waited patiently. She then noticed her hankie on the floor once again. She reached for her hankie but the man in front of her turned around, started rushing away, and bumped into Sakura. He didn't seem to notice that she even existed until they both fell to the ground.

Sakura quickly sat up and regained her composure, she felt a little dizzy. She saw the man stretch out his hand to help her stand up. Sakura looked at his face and saw the same daring and dangerous expression as Sasuke. Unfortunately, it wasn't the Uchiha.

Sakura could clearly see his face. She could also see his glasses that broke in their fall. His cap was also a total wreck, so his shiny black hair fall down past his broad shoulders. Sakura couldn't help but blush. He was handsome and, well, sexy-looking. Especially when his hair was down.

"You alright?" He asked in a slightly concerned, deep tone.

Sakura was too humiliated so she merely nodded. She stared at him again, he looked familiar but Sakura couldn't recall where she last saw him.

He smiled a small smile while she blushed even harder. Suddenly, several reporters noticed the sacred moment and started screaming in ecstasy. They all ran towards the man, taking pictures and shouting several questions. She was a bit surprised but didn't bother to wonder about it, she was super late with her own meeting. Sakura was rudely pushed out of the crowd.

The man tried helplessly to go after Sakura, but failed. She didn't bother to ask the reception lady for directions, just headed for the guard and disappeared around a corner. The man didn't seem to be affected by crowded place and the flashing of cameras. He was more concerned about Sakura. Looking at the handkerchief she just left, he was surprised to see the initials _U.S._

'_That girl,'_ he wondered, curious. _'What does she have to do with that bastard Uchiha Sasuke?' _A fleeting grin darted across his lips.

'_I shall find out soon enough...'_

* * *

Hinata entered the ladies' room. It was silent and she noticed that she was alone. She sighed; she must have caught Sakura's last-minute nervous attack. Hinata was even more worried than her friend. She walked towards the sinks.

Hinata looked at herself in the mirror with a pitying gaze. Until now, she didn't have a job. Maybe because cooking wasn't her true specialty. She was much better at designing and she enjoyed it more. She knew why she never wanted to take fashion designing, though. Her mother and father were both famous chefs and she had wanted them to be proud of her.

But it was too late. They were already dead and they didn't even get to see Hinata graduate from cooking school. She started to sob. She missed them every day. She cried quietly and covered her eyes with her hands.

By offering her a job in designing her wardrobe, Sakura had given Hinata another chance to be happy. Hinata took a deep breath and started to wash the tears from her face with water.

Suddenly, someone flushed the toilet, causing Hinata to jump. She hurriedly dried her face with her hankie and acted normal. One of the doors behind her opened.

"Success!" a blonde Naruto shouted exuberantly, shocking Hinata after she turned around.

Naruto was a bit surprised too. They looked each other up and down. Both were quiet for the moment, but Naruto broke the ice.

"Uh, hi!" he grinned broadly.

"Hi," Hinata replied absentmindedly, "Y-you're a _he _right?"

Naruto nodded while smiling.

Hinata couldn't help but scream.

"Wait! It's not what you think!" Naruto tried to explain. He attempted to stop her screams, but Hinata merely fainted in his arms.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke sat in his chair, waiting impatiently for two people. One was a dumb Naruto who excused himself because 'nature called', while the other was a certain pink-haired girl the band needed to have sign her contract.

"Where the hell are they!" Sasuke asked, irritated.

"Calm down, Sasuke," Kakashi stood up and walked towards the full-length window, "I'm sure they're on their way."

Sasuke glared at him, wondering if he could telepathically tell the older man to shut up. Kakashi pretended he didn't see the venomous look that was being thrown at him. Sasuke stood up and stalked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Kakashi asked calmly.

"Isn't it obvious?" Sasuke replied sarcastically, "Outside."

"For what?" he asked, uninterested.

"Air," Sasuke replied. With that, he left the room.

* * *

"I'm not lost, I'm not lost, I am not lost!" Sakura tried to calm herself down.

'**Face it, girl! You are lost!'** Inner Sakura taunted.

"Get lost, inner self!" Sakura hissed.

'**Har-dee-har har!'** Inner Sakura replied sarcastically.

Sakura was completely confused. She followed what the guard told her obeying like an innocent little child. She had taken the stairs then turned left and turned right in another corner, then another hidden staircase up, right, left, and there was more she did but she couldn't remember. How come she was lost?

Sakura reached down to her pocket for her hankies, but one was missing. "Damn! I must've left it by that guy earlier!" She sighed.

The hallway was pretty big. . .and silent. There was nobody in the area except her. She started to feel a little paranoid. She searched in vain for other people, but failed. Of course. Obviously, that part of KTV Corp. was deserted or even. . . haunted?

The thought sent a chill down Sakura's spine. There were only two things that could make her run like a chicken, the first being icky, yucky insects and the second being ghosts.

Sakura then felt someone was watching her from behind. Following her every move. "Okaay. . .Hina, this is _not_ funny anymore!" Sakura panicked and started walking a little bit faster. Whoever it was, it wasn't Hinata. Hinata wouldn't dare scare her like this! It must be someone else, and Sakura wasn't interested in finding out who.

As Sakura jogged down the stairs she could feel someone coming after her. She panicked, started running and screaming for help, but she could still hear someone was run towards her, faster than she was.

"Help! Somebody help!" Sakura screamed, but no one heard. The section of the skyscraper she was in was deserted, after all.

'_Great! Just great! What more bad luck could I get! Darn it! If only I hadn't lost my lucky hankie!_' she started cursing herself while running.

Then, unexpectedly, she slipped and fell hard on the floor. She tried desperately to get up but couldn't. Someone was already holding onto her wrist. They had a very strong grip, too.

Sakura didn't have the guts to turn and see who kept her from standing, so she cried out shrilly.

"Get off me! Get away from me, evil spirit!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "I-I'm warning you! I-I'm a famous martial artist!" she lied.

The grip loosened and a handsome face was the first thing Sakura saw when she slowly opened her eyes. It was the guy from earlier, and he was grinning. Or rather, chuckling.

"**How dare he? He thinks this is amusing!" **Inner Sakura screeched.

"That was not funny!" Sakura gritted her teeth. "You could have given me a heart attack!"

"You're too young for that," he coolly replied.

"Why did you do that!" Sakura asked, still gasping for breath.

He handed Sakura her lost hankie. Sakura looked up and once again, lost herself in his wonderful eyes. She couldn't help but blush even harder. He. . .he just looked so perfect and charming. Sakura was still too freaked out to react, so the man simply opened her palm and placed her hankie in it. Of course, that meant their hands brushed. A simple touch. . .

"I hope I didn't scare the hell out of you," he joked, smiling ever so slightly.

"Actually, you did," Sakura replied sarcastically, there was still a little anger in her voice.

"Well, then," he kept a poker face, "Will you accept my apologies?" he knelt down and took her right hand in one of his. The guy acted like royalty, but Sakura knew he was teasing.

"Stop that!" Sakura reprimanded, even though she kinda liked being treated like this.

"Not unless you forgive me," he said, his attitude changing from a king to a little kid.

"Okay, okay, just stand up," Sakura sighed.

The man stood up and half-smiled, but that was enough to melt any girl's heart. Sakura stared openly at him when he pecked her right hand and whispered 'thank you'.

Sakura's heart couldn't stop racing. She couldn't keep herself from looking into his pure-white eyes. Those eyes reminded of her of someone special. They were like _his _eyes, that was for certain.

Just then, another voice spoke, and it's tone was not a pleased one.

"Hands off her, Hyuuga." Uchiha Sasuke glared at him with narrowed onyx eyes.

Sakura was surprised at Sasuke's words and the tone of his voice- was he_ jealous?_- but she paid little attention to that. She quickly took her hand away from the black-haired guy. She remembered him. . . very well.

She gasped. "Y-you're _that _Hyuuga?" Sakura asked, quite surprised.

_'Hyuuga Neji. . .'_

. . . to be continued. . .

* * *

**A/N: **So? What do you think? Disappointed? Happy? Contented? Tell me, please? Anyway, oh my, 100 reviews! I'm so happy already! Oh! And another thing, _Skye_ made a fanart for this story; she actually drew a fanart just for Rhythm. Thanks Skye! Check this site or simply go to my bio. . . I hope reviews will still keep on coming! I might not be able to update next week because of my hectic schedule at school. Sorry once again. . . 


	10. Chapter ten

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**A/N: **Here's Chapter ten! Sorry for the late update, guys. I hope reviews will still keep on coming! Oh! Thank you, Skye! Actually, she's my beta-reader and she's doing a great job! Try rereading all the past chapters and there you'll see the improvement of grammar. I just hope I can improve my own grammar, but still, Skye's been giving me useful tips.

Beta-Reader: Skye Waves to all readers

**BR/N:** Go back and reread all the old chapters! They're all proofread and edited and the characters should be less out of character. If you find any grammatical errors, let me know. poke poke Read! And enjoy the awesome new chapter!

* * *

**Chapter ten**

"You looked surprised," Neji smirked at Haruno Sakura and the raven-haired guy, "And so do you, Uchiha. Actually, you look pissed. You haven't changed one bit."

"I said," Sasuke repeated, "Hands off her, Hyuuga."

"Why?" Neji replied sarcastically, "Is something bothering you, Uchiha? Is this girl worth _any_ of your time?" he asked, rather surprised.

"It's none of your business, Hyuuga." Sasuke smirked. He wasn't going to lose to the jerk that easily.

But the cherry-headed girl didn't pay much attention to the argument. Actually, she still couldn't believe her eyes. Sakura felt a little embarrassed, she was actually standing beside _him_. . . _the Hyuuga_. The handsome and famous model, Hyuuga Neji! Even though Sakura wasn't really into celebrity gossip and stuff like her friend, Ino, she had heard a couple of good things about him. Mostly about how good-looking he was and how well he could sing. Sakura started mentally cursing herself for her stupidity. She should've recognized Neji earlier.

Even though Sakura was outright staring at his face (specifically his daring silver eyes), she couldn't help glancing at Sasuke just a few steps away from them with an unexplainably wrathful expression. What could possibly make him that angry? Maybe because of Sakura's habitual tardiness?. . . Or was it something else?

"Wait," Sakura interrupted their murderous glares, "You know each other?"

Neji broke the staring contest with Sasuke and faced Sakura, a grin creeping on his face. "Why? Do you?" he asked back.

"I asked first," Sakura argued, trying to keep her cool.

Sasuke looked at Sakura. "Unfortunately, we do, Haruno. We know each other _very _well," he glared at Neji and asked sarcastically, "Right, Hyuuga?"

Neji nodded curtly.

There was a pregnant silence. Sasuke stepped closer to the pair while Sakura became more uneasy and blushed several shades of red. She was trapped between the two. On her right side was Hyuuga Neji, a (for the most part) nice but mysterious and quiet guy with silver eyes. On her left was Uchiha Sasuke, a mysterious and bastard kind of guy with onyx eyes.

Sakura felt embarrassed to be stuck between two gorgeous guys in a silent and empty wing of KTV Corp. She blushed and started thinking of something to say.

'**Ino, eat your heart out! Hahahaha!'** Inner Sakura laughed wickedly.

Sakura groaned at her inner self. There was no way she was going to say that, it was beyond lame.

"So," Sakura spoke nervously, "How did you two meet?" she asked with a small fake laugh, hoping to get their attention. Needless to say, she failed. Pathetic indeed.

Neither man answered. Neji glanced at her from the corner of his eye and turned back. Sasuke didn't bother acknowledging the fact that she had spoken. They were still immersed in their own little world. Sakura felt a little out of place but understood right away. It must've been something _really _personal.

"Okay, so you don't want to answer that one." Sakura whispered, basically to herself since she had no idea if they were even listening.

Finally, Sasuke spoke and shattered the silence that had previously devoured the area. "Why have you returned, Hyuuga?" he asked, semi-interested in what Neji had to say. He still ignored Sakura completely.

She was interested too, so she stared at Neji, mentally telling him to answer Sasuke's question.

The long-haired man smirked and shook his head.

Sasuke impatiently asked, "What's so funny?" He glared at him while gritting his teeth.

"You mean, you don't know?" Neji inquired, chuckling condescendingly, "Honestly, Uchiha!"

Sakura could feel Sasuke's blood boiling with anger, but what could she do? She couldn't simply interrupt their personal conversation because that would be rude, not to mention the fact that neither of them would listen to her. She was about to say something when Neji finally spoke.

"I was invited."

Sasuke then glared at him coldly. "Who would invite you to _my _building, Hyuuga?" he asked, "After what you've done? Are you insane?"

Sakura gasped. _'This is _his_ building? Whoa. . .And what did Neji do? I'm already confused._'

They really did have their own world; she looked at them with a questioning expression. There were lots of questions she wanted them to answer but she would have to wait.

"I was surprised too." Neji smirked. "I didn't expect KTV Corp. to want me back. I mean, besides modeling, they expected me to enter the music world again. I'm here for my contract signing." He explained, "I got a call from KTV while I was enjoying one of the sunny beaches of Hawaii."

"Whoa," Sakura gasped, "You've actually been there? What was it like?"

Neji nodded at Sakura. "It's nice, you should visit some time."

Sakura smiled warmly, while Sasuke got even more pissed.

"You didn't answer my question, Hyuuga." Sasuke spoke warningly, "_Who _invited you to come back?"

"You wouldn't believe it." Neji said deviously.

"Try me." Sasuke challenged him. Sakura perked up and listened attentively.

"Your brother called me," Neji replied. "I'd say it was pretty generous of him."

'_Sasuke has a brother? I've never heard anything about that before."_ Sakura thought, curious.

"Itachi invited me back, Sasuke." Neji smirked, "He has, after all, the same position that you have right now, so I assume there won't be a problem. Right?"

Sakura saw Sasuke lower his gaze and clench his fists. Somehow, Sakura could picture what might have happened in the past, but it was a grainy image. For the time being, she had to shut up and respect Sasuke's privacy. Suddenly, Sakura swore she heard Sasuke whispering something.

"Itachi. . ." He grit his teeth and clenched his fists. "Itachi planned all of this!"

_Meanwhile. . . _

"What should I do? What should I do?" Uzumaki Naruto panicked inside the ladies' bathroom.

The blonde was in serious trouble. He cautiously but carefully lay the unconscious Hinata on the ground. Naruto placed her head gently on his lap while fanning her, still worrying.

"I won't leave you here alone, don't worry," Naruto whispered into her ear then smiled, "It's all my fault after all."

He examined the girl's face. She was sleeping quite peacefully and he had to admit she was pretty cute. Naruto grinned; he had a lot of explaining to do when she woke up. He better do it slowly and calmly, and make sure she didn't freak out. Again.

Finally, Hinata groaned and stirred. Naruto sat nervously and didn't move a muscle. She opened her eyes slowly but they were covered quickly when she reached for her forehead. She then carefully sat up. She didn't seem to notice the other's presence. Hinata began massaging her forehead gently.

Naruto sat there and looked at her back. Well, she wasn't facing him, which would explain why she didn't notice him.

"What a headache. . ." Hinata complained to herself.

"Uh. . .?" was all Naruto managed to say.

Hinata was surprised to hear the same voice he heard earlier. She jumped up and whirled around to face Naruto. The first thing she saw was a pair of charming baby blue eyes, blonde hair and a wide grin. He stood up and smiled at the shocked Hinata.

"Hi!" he greeted her cheerfully, "I guess you're okay now. Don't faint on me again, okay? Can I start my explanation?" he asked carefully.

Hinata blinked. She drew a deep breath and yet again, began screaming at the top of her lungs.

"W-wait!" Naruto panicked, "I-I can explain everything!"

The black-haired girl's knees weakened and she fainted. Luckily, Naruto was there to catch her.

Naruto groaned. "Not again!" he complained, and then decided to carry poor Hinata on his back to the office the band shared. Naruto started grumbling to himself.

'_Sasuke and Kakashi are going to kill me! Oh, I'm in so much trouble. . .'_

* * *

Another awkward silence covered the hall where Neji, Sasuke and Sakura stood. The Uchiha still couldn't believe it; he just lowered his hate-filled glare and grit his teeth. Sakura could tell that Neji was somewhat amused. As for herself, she just stood silently between the two handsome men, wearing a questioning expression.

"I answered your question, Uchiha." Neji stated calmly then looked at Sakura.

"How about you?" Neji finally acknowledged the beautiful pink-haired girl beside him. "You are. . .?"

Sakura blinked, "Me?" she asked. She had been so engrossed with the earlier exchange that she had managed to forget that she was there. She had started thinking it was like TV, where the characters never address the viewers.

"Your name?" Neji simply asked, giving off an uninterested vibe as he glanced at his wristwatch.

"Haruno," Sakura replied softly. "Haruno Sakura."

"Hm? I see," Neji then looked at her, "Well, what business do you have with Uchiha?"

Upon hearing his name, Sasuke jerked his head up to stare at Neji and Sakura. He was surprised at first, but soon recovered and placed a devious grin on his lips. He crept quietly towards the girl.

"Well, actually. . ." Sakura began to reply, but was startled into stopping. A warm hand had brushed hers.

Sasuke quickly grabbed Sakura's delicate hand and entwined it with his. Neji and Sakura were shocked. Of course, out of the two, Sakura was more surprised. She quickly glanced up at Sasuke, her face a lovely shade of pink, and gave him a 'How-dare-you' look. However, Sasuke didn't seem to care. Sakura tried to subtly break free from his grip, but he wouldn't let her.

'_What are you planning, blue-haired bastard?_' Sakura panicked mentally, _'I swear, after all of this, I'll kill you myself!'_

'**Oh, C'mon! Admit it! You like it, don't you?'** Inner Sakura glared accusingly.

'_No, I don't!'_ Sakura protested, '_I don't like him one bit!'_

As she looked up at Sasuke again, she could clearly see all his handsome features. Sakura couldn't help but blush harder.

'**Traitor!'** Inner Sakura hissed, but Sakura completely ignored her and found herself getting lost in Sasuke's calm eyes.

"As you can see," Sasuke said in a deep tone, "She's working for _my _company too. In fact, she's here for the exact same reason you are, Hyuuga."

"Contract signing," Neji replied with a serious face. "You don't say?"

"Yes," Sasuke smirked icily, "She's going to be part of the band." He squeezed Sakura's hand slightly tighter.

"Ouch! Ah, I mean. . ." Sakura faked a laugh. "Yes, I'm here to sign my contract."

Neji examined Sakura from head to toe. Sakura felt embarrassed at first, but she glanced at Sasuke and when she saw his face, she could tell that he was trying to calm her down. Not for the first time, Sakura felt a slightly different Sasuke. Different from the cold bastard he normally was. She recognized him, the Sasuke she met when she tried out for the audition. The one that gave her confidence.

"Yes," Neji nodded curtly, "She's pretty talented. I can tell. Good work, Uchiha."

Sasuke nodded his acknowledgement. Neji glanced at his watch once again.

"I have to go," Neji said in a unpleased tone. "Farewell."

"Say 'hello' to my brother for me," Sasuke retorted sarcastically, finally removing his hand from it's grip on Sakura's.

"I'll keep that in mind," Neji smirked, "And Sakura. . ."

Sakura looked up at him, awakened from her short daydream but still slightly dazed.

"See you around." he smiled at her.

Sakura smiled back warmly. He didn't seem to be a particularly bad guy, so why was Sasuke so mad at him? Speaking of Sasuke, she quickly turned and looked at him. As soon as Neji vanished, her look turned into a glare.

"Why did you _do_ that?" Sakura shouted angrily at him, "You don't have the right!"

Sasuke looked surprised at first but then smirked. "You didn't like it?" he asked. "I could've sworn otherwise."

Sakura turned pink. _'He must have noticed my blushing! Damn it!'_ She was so embarrassed that she was about to slap Sasuke, but he quickly grabbed her right hand and stepped forward, closer to her.

He then whispered, "I'm not gonna let you slap me again, Haruno." His warm breath tickled her ear and gave Sakura a tingling sensation.

Sakura, for once, gave up and sighed deeply. It wasn't like there was anything she could do. Sasuke's grip was incredibly strong, and her other hand was still numb from the different yet wonderful feeling she felt when he held it.

"I hate you." Sakura whispered unconvincingly, trying to hold back her tears of embarrassment. Finally, Sasuke loosened his grip and smirked superiorly. Inner Sakura idly wondered if that was the only type of smile he could manage.

Sakura sniffed and glared at him. "I'm leaving," She declared and turned to do just that. Before she could walk away, she felt a familiar, warm yet soft grip on her left hand. Sasuke was keeping her from going.

"Let go of me, blue-haired bastard!" she shouted.

"No," Sasuke spoke calmly. "You gave your word to Neji. You're here for your contract signing."

As Sasuke mentioned Neji's name, Sakura paused and faced him once again.

She sighed, "Okay, I'll sign my contract. On two conditions."

"What are those?" Sasuke asked.

"First, I want you to tell me what really happened between you and Neji," Sakura replied.

"It's your right to know," he stated calmly, "But I'll need help from Kakashi and Naruto to explain."

"Sure," Sakura smiled, "And the other one. . ."

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, slightly impatient.

"I want your sincere apology." Sakura grinned.

"For what!" he protested, as if afraid to damage his extensive pride.

"For everything you did wrong from the moment we met!" Sakura declared.

Sasuke clenched his fists and gave her a murderous gaze. Sakura grinned mischievously. _'So this is one of his severe dislikes. Gotta add that to my list!'_

"I'm waiting." Sakura sang, playing with a pink lock of hair.

Sasuke was silent, clearly hesitating.

"Well, if that's what you want. I'll go," Sakura whispered and sighed dramatically. She proceeded to act like she was leaving when the long-awaited moment finally arrived.

"Gomen." Uchiha Sasuke muttered.

Sakura was surprised, but not in a bad way. She looked straight into his onyx eyes and flashed him a genuine smile.

"I accept your apology!" Sakura exclaimed happily.

"I was not asking for your forgiveness, I merely wanted to say sorry." Sasuke mumbled icily.

"That's fine with me!" she grinned. He grabbed her hand for the third time and was about to drag her to the band's office when Sakura came up with another idea.

"Oh, wait!" she mumbled shyly, "One more thing!"

"That's already three conditions, Haruno!" the guitarist protested. When he looked at her emerald-colored eyes, however, he sighed. "What is it?"

"Uchiha Sasuke," she smiled, "Call me Sakura. . ."

'_Sakura?. . .Not a bad idea. . .Not a bad idea at all.' _

. . . to be continued. . .

* * *

**A/N: **Well, Another chapter ending! And I have to think of another continuation. Yes, I admit. I haven't completely made up my mind yet. Whether it'll be Sasuke/Sakura or Naji/Sakura. So, I'm counting my votes. So far, Sasuke/Sakura got the lead obviously, but Neji fans, please wait. I'm gonna add up some fluffy scenes that'll make the love triangle better or. . .complicated? Oh, Thanks for the reviews everyone! It's been so helpful! Oh, thanks again, Skye, for editing my story! 


	11. Chapter eleven

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**A/N:** Hi everyone! Yippee! I've kept my promise, I updated before Christmas but it's still a bit late right? Sorry, it's just that I'm enjoying my Christmas vacation. Thanks for the reviews, guys! Keep em' coming! Hope you all like this chapter.

**Beta-Reader: **Skye

* * *

**Chapter eleven**

Uzumaki Naruto couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Along the way to the office, everybody looked at him with weird expressions. Well, him and the dark-haired girl that lay against his back, unconscious. The blonde, being humiliated and discomforted, groaned.

"Excuse me, Uzumaki-san?" A receptionist asked the teen, "Is there a problem?"

Naruto glanced up at him and laughed nervously. "Oh, no! Don't worry!" he lied, "Everything's fine! It's just that my, um. . .sister! Yeah! My sister, fainted, and I'm about to take her to, um. . .Sasuke's office!"

"Oh, Uzumaki-san, you have a sister?" the receptionist asked with a surprised expression. He stared at poor Hinata. "I never knew that!"

'_Busted. . .'_ Naruto thought gloomily.

"Oh! If it's too personal, I'll keep my mouth shut, sir!" the receptionist declared.

Naruto gave him the best sad eyes he could manage and smiled half-heartedly. "Well, as you can see. . .Our past was tragic," Naruto lied, acting depressed, " I. . . I didn't have the guts to tell anybody, but we were both orphaned and. . . and then. . . Could we just keep this as our little secret?"

The man was teary-eyed; he obviously fell for Naruto's charade. He nodded and asked, "Can I be of any service, Uzumaki-san? I mean, with your sister."

"No, no." Naruto declared, feeling awkward because of Hinata's weight, "Just please don't tell anybody about it. I'm trusting you with that, for both my and my little, sweet, poor sister's sakes."

"Of course, you can count on my services, Uzumaki-san!" The guy receptionist lowered his voice. "I've always been a really big fan of you and your group, Uzumaki-san! Can I ask one little thing?"

"What is it?" Naruto asked.

"Could you spare me a minute and give me your autograph. . .?"

_Meanwhile. . ._

"Stop dragging me! I can walk by myself, Sasuke!" Sakura shouted at the blue-haired guitarist in front of her, who was gripping her wrist tightly.

Uchiha Sasuke pretended not to hear Sakura's continuous complaints. He half-dragged her towards the elevator, not caring if anybody else saw. It was his building, after all. He didn't have time to argue with Sakura. He was already preoccupied with far more important matters, like his brother and Hyuuga Neji.

'_Why the hell did Itachi want the Hyuuga back?'_ Sasuke thought gravely, _'He's got a devious plan up his sleeve, and I'm going to find out what it is.'_

Just then a clear image invaded his ponderings. Haruno Sakura stood there, smiling her smile. He knew he had to protect her from anyone who was capable of taking away that smile, even Hyuuga Neji. The smile she possessed could melt anybody's cold heart. That's why she was going to be perfect singer, because the world would find her endearing, love her, and buy her products. Yet, a disturbing question that annoyed and partially fascinated him began drifting through his mind. _'Can that smile even melt my own cold heart?'_

Sakura noticed Sasuke's smirk. She stopped on a reflex, making Sasuke gaze deeply at her. Once again, Sakura felt her cheeks burn. _'Why? Why does he have to look at me like that? It's like he's looking straight through my. . .heart. Mom was right,'_ Sakura thought sadly. _'Falling out of love is hard, but falling back in love is harder.'_ She broke eye contact and shook the thoughts out of her head. Love was impossible, the pair belonged to two _very _different worlds.

"Earth to Sasuke!" Sakura waved at the guitarist, "I'm perfectly capable of walking by myself, thank you! Why are you in such a hurry anyway?"

"Because you're already late." Sasuke replied in a deep tone.

"Oh yeah," Sakura giggled softly and blushed more. "I forgot." _'That's because too many things happened this morning. . .'_

"Is that because too many things already happened today?" Sasuke asked, letting go of Sakura's soft skin and walking towards the elevator.

Sakura was surprised yet found it rather amusing. They were thinking the exact same thing, albeit their grammar was different. All she did was nod at his question and follow him into the elevator. The pair was unusually silent. They were on the third floor and headed towards the eighteenth floor. The doors shut, leaving Sakura and Sasuke were alone inside the elevator.

Sakura was towards the rear and could see the Uchiha's back. He was standing with proper posture just like a gentleman, like a real moneymaker. His hair was a bit of a mess but that mess made him even manlier and more handsome. Just by looking at his back, Sakura, a simple commoner, could tell that he was a seasoned rock guitarist.

Unbeknownst to Sakura, Sasuke was looking at her from the corner of his eye. He could tell that Sakura was staring at him intensely.

"I'll melt if you keep staring at me like that." Sasuke stated without looking at her.

"Oh! Gomen." Sakura apologized, blushing. Once again, he could tell that she was turning pink.

Another minute of deafening silence passed, but the Uchiha broke the ice.

"Sakura," Sasuke said quietly and solemnly, "I want you to keep your distance from Hyuuga as much as possible."

Sakura was shocked. She wanted to ask _'Why?' _but didn't. Instead, she kept silent for a while, and thought. _'Why is Sasuke so paranoid? Neji isn't even a challenge to an Uchiha! Or would he be, since Sasuke's brother is on his side?'_

"You don't know Neji," Sasuke warned, "You don't know him like I do."

"He seems to be a good guy, Sasuke, I don't understand." Sakura spoke, defending Neji.

Sasuke ignored Sakura's kind remark towards Neji and said, "He's with Itachi. I want you to keep your guard up. I don't want to see you hurt or crying again."

Sakura jerked slightly, startled. The tone of his voice was different. It wasn't cold or rude, like usual, but kind. _'There,'_ Sakura thought, _'There's more to Sasuke than good looks and a smart mouth. . . there's something better inside him.'_

"Um," Sakura tried to think of something nice to say, "I'll try to remember everything you told me. . . thanks." She mumbled the last few words.

"Hn." Sasuke nodded curtly. He had heard her say thanks, and deep inside, he felt satisfied in a smug way.

Finally, they reached the eighteenth floor. Sasuke and Sakura deserted the elevator and started walking on a long red carpet. Sakura couldn't see the end of the hall, but followed Sasuke nonetheless. Nobody appeared to be around, which made sense considering that the wing was only for the _owners_ of KTV Corp.

"Um, Sasuke," Sakura whispered, "Can I ask one little question?"

"As long as it's not about the Hyuuga issue," Sasuke heaved a sigh, "Shoot."

"How come you and your brother_ both _own this company," Sakura asked, pausing to find the right words. She couldn't stand not knowing any longer. ". . . But it looks like you're competing with each other? Aren't you supposed to be, well, helping each other?"

"Simple," Sasuke replied. "It's because we're brothers."

Well, that was not the answer Sakura was expecting. She had enough tact to remain silent, however, and let her curiosity kill her slowly.

As if Sasuke could read her mind once again, he explained further. "My brother and I have been rivals for everything since we were born, and this company is no exception."

"Both of you own it?" Sakura asked, interested.

"Yeah." Sasuke sighed uneasily. He wasn't used to opening up to somebody, especially a girl.

"Fifty-fifty?" Sakura inquired childishly.

"Hn." Sasuke nodded, already a bit irritated.

"But still," Sakura continued, her gaze boring holes in her shoes, "I can't imagine Neji fitting in this picture, Sasuke. I think he really is a nice guy."

This time, Sasuke was the one who stopped walking. He looked sternly at Sakura. Since she wasn't watching where she was headed, Sakura walked straight into Sasuke's muscled chest. She looked up to him and once again, their eyes met, his onyx eyes gazing through her emerald ones. Sakura hesitated.

"Will you drop that Neji issue, Sakura?" Sasuke asked in an unexplainably angry tone, "Why do you care so much about him? Do you like him?"

Sakura shook her head repeatedly, blushing nonetheless. "Of course I do! I mean, who wouldn't like him? The public loves him because of his looks and singing and all," Sakura replied.

"I just want to protect you." Sasuke said, his voice low.

Sakura blushed harder but tried to hide it from Sasuke. If he saw her in that state, she'd be embarrassed for life._ 'He's protecting me? Uchiha Sasuke's worried about my situation? Okay, this is beyond weird already!'._ Several questions were buzzing through her mind, but the only one she asked was, "Why?"

Sasuke fell silent, irritated. He turned his back on the pink haired girl and smirked to himself.

"You're the only ace we have in this battle," Sasuke managed to reply after a short while. "We need you, Sakura. Neji's _very _hard competition, especially when he's working with my brother."

"What?" Sakura jerked her head up and frowned at Sasuke's back, "What do you mean by 'competition'?"

The Uchiha's face, not that she could tell, became serious and he replied, "Hyuuga Neji is a rival. Yours, and _mine_ too. He's very tough competition in our careers. That's why I want to. . . protect you."

Haruno was silent but he could tell that she was a bit angry. She was too young and innocent and didn't want to fight anyone. He began having second thoughts._ 'I can't let her join the band if she really doesn't want to. She'll end up getting hurt. . .Sakura. . .'_

After a long pause, Sasuke spoke. "If you're not sure about joining the band, I respect your decision." he explained, "If you think you're not up to it, just tell me and I'll let you leave without regrets."

Sakura looked at him from behind. _'Is he serious about letting me go?"_ she thought sadly. She really wanted to be different, to let the world know that she wasn't a coward. In particular, she wanted to prove herself to her mother and especially Sasuke.

"I see," Sasuke kept his voice even, although he was beginning to feel rather gloomy, "I respect your decision, Sakura. Farewell."

The blue-haired teen was about to walk forward and leave Sakura with her freedom when she grabbed his jacket sleeve with her right hand. She was still looking at her shoes. Sasuke looked back at her, wondering if she had changed her mind.

Behind him, he saw a smiling Sakura with determined emerald eyes, "I'm not going to give up that easily, Sasuke!" She looked up and winked. "I haven't even tried joining yet!"

Sasuke was surprised, of course, yet asked, "Are you sure? After you sign the contract, you can't change your mind."

Sakura nodded and her grin grew. "I'm certain now, Sasuke," she replied. "After all, I don't want you to go around thinking I'm a coward, right?"

Sasuke smirked and heaved a sigh. He led the way towards his office, Sakura following him. She sighed in relief, followed Sasuke and smiled at her thoughts.

'_Don't worry, Mom, I can do this. . .After all, Sasuke's here for me. I think I'll have to learn to trust him now.'_

_'Trust him. . .'

* * *

_

The silver-haired Kakashi was busy reading the latest edition of _'Icha Icha Paradise'_ when Sakura and Sasuke entered the office. Since Naruto wasn't around, he had preoccupied himself with reading the perverted book. Of course, he hid it the instant the pair entered.

"Don't bother hiding it, we saw you reading it just a moment ago." Sasuke sighed and walked towards the kitchen-like area to get drinks for himself and Sakura.

Kakashi grinned embarrassedly and turned his attention to Sakura, who was standing in the door frame. "Sit down, Sakura," he offered and pointed at the collection of chairs and sofas to the right. "Make yourself comfortable."

Sakura nodded and obliged. She quietly sat down on a small, white sofa. Kakashi was fixing some papers while Sasuke was busy finding drinks. Other than that, everything was silent when Sasuke spoke up.

"I have some very interesting news for you, Kakashi." Sasuke said, still busy obtaining the drinks.

"What is it?" Kakashi inquired politely.

"He's back." Sasuke said icily.

Kakashi smirked, looking at Sakura. "I knew this day would come. Somehow, I'm not surprised. He'll be a very tough rival."

"Hn." Sasuke nodded slightly and continued with what he was doing.

Kakashi gazed at the confused girl and asked, "Hey, Sasuke. Does she know anything about this already?"

Sasuke looked at Sakura, who simply smiled and nodded determinedly. He sighed. "Yeah, she knows. Actually, she bumped into him earlier."

"Really?" Kakashi asked. Sakura nodded, still confused about the entire thing. "What do you think about Hyuuga, Sakura?"

"Well," she blushed, "He seems to be a really nice guy, a real gentleman. . . and his eyes. . . there's something mysterious about them, I just can't figure what it is."

"I see," Kakashi murmured. "He hasn't changed one bit, has he, Sasuke?" he asked impishly, but Sasuke didn't mind.

"Hey, Sakura," Kakashi smirked, "Hyuuga has the same eyes as Sasuke, ne?"

The pink-haired girl couldn't help but blush and Sasuke couldn't help but watch her form the corner of his eye.

"Sakura, what do you want?" he asked her, looking inside the fridge. "Coke, Diet coke or wine?"

"Um. . .I'll have-" Sakura began.

"-Let me guess," Kakashi interrupted, winking, "You'll have a bottle of water."

Sakura giggled, then asked Kakashi, "How did you know that?"

"I can see it in your personality," Kakashi laughed, "You're soft, feminine and innocent. . ."

Sasuke added, "He's an expert on women," and gave Sakura a bottle of drinking water. He shot Kakashi a mischievous look. "Especially about things most of us find perverted."

"Don't believe him, Sakura!" Kakashi defended himself, still he chuckled then looked at Sasuke. "You're just spoiling Sakura's impression of me. You're afraid that she _might_ fall in love with me!" he taunted jokingly.

Sakura giggled, while Sasuke smirked. "In your dreams!"

Sakura was elated. She felt comfortable with Kakashi, and she was sure she could have fun with the rest band. They were all very kind, especially Naruto, no doubt about that. Sasuke was kind too, in his own way.

"By the way," Sasuke changed the subject while taking a seat, "Where's that baka? He's still not finished with his business?"

"Who? Naruto?" Kakashi asked, obviously playing with Sasuke.

"Who else?" Sasuke sighed. "What's taking him so long? We can't start Sakura's contract signing without him. That _baka_ must be in some sort of trouble again."

Sakura chuckled softly. Slowly, she had come to be able to tell the band's different personalities apart easily. It was obvious that she was going to get along with them very well, for certain.

Kakashi grinned at her and asked, "Didn't you had a hard time finding the building, Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head and smiled. "Well, if I was alone I've might had some difficulties finding this place," she amended, giggling. In response to her laugh, Sasuke cocked an eyebrow. "But, I wasn't alone, my friend helped me."

"Friend?" Sasuke asked, wondering if she meant Hyuuga.

"Yes," Sakura smiled and replied, "Her name is-"

Before Sakura could continue, someone knocked forcefully and repeatedly on the office door. The trio jumped slightly out of shock, but Sasuke stood up and walked towards it quietly.

"Hey, anybody there!" Naruto shouted, "A little help, please?"

"Do we know you?" Sasuke asked, annoyed and pretending not to know the idiotic blonde.

"Sasuke!" Naruto complained, "Just open the damn door, I can explain everything!"_ 'And open it now, she's heavy!'_

Sasuke opened the door grudgingly and was surprised to see Naruto with an unconscious girl on his back. Naruto grinned and laughed nervously.

"Baka," Sasuke rolled his eyes, "What did you get yourself into? Used the _little girl's room?_"

"How did you know?" Naruto asked, annoyed. "I didn't have any other choice, the guy's bathroom was locked. So, I used the _other _room, thinking it was empty. But then she showed up and fainted. I couldn't just leave her there all alone."

"What's her name?" Sasuke inquired, helping the drummer into the room. That, in turn, let Kakashi and Sakura see the whole mess.

"Hinata!" Sakura panicked and ran towards her friend. "What happened to her?" she asked Naruto, helping him rest Hinata's head on the white sofa.

"Hi, Sakura!" Naruto grinned at her, but Sakura didn't notice. She was too worried about Hinata. "Uh, I mean, she fainted."

"You know her?" Sasuke asked Sakura, while signaling for Kakashi to get a glass of water for the fainted girl.

"Yes," Sakura began fanning Hinata, "She's the _friend_ I was talking about earlier." She looked at her unconscious friend with teary eyes, gripping the hankie Hinata gave her tighter.

'_Hinata. . . What happened to you?'_

. . .to be continued. . .

* * *

**A/N:** Well, did you like it? I was having a hard time writing this chapter because of my examinations, but now, I'm free as a bird. Actually, I'm having my vacation. I'm currently in the province, drinking a cup of coffee, writing fics on my laptop, while watching the sunrise. Yep, it's so peaceful. Well, guys, reviews! Anybody here have friendster? Invite me! I warn you, _be_ afraid of the picture! 


	12. Chapter twelve

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**A/N:** Well, Good day to all! Chapter twelve's here, sorry for the late update. Read on and don't forget to leave a review. Oh! Before everything, I must warn you, this is _a_ _long_ _story_, and I just can't rush some things, right? (I am SO sorry, guys! This chapter's supposed to be posted a week ago, I was just too BUSY this days. I didn't even had time to open my computer!)

_Hyuuga Hinata_: That's Hinata's whole name, but she and Neji are not related, even as cousins here. Ok?

**Beta-Reader: **Skye vov

* * *

**Chapter twelve**

Haruno Sakura simply let her unconscious friend, Hinata, lay her head on Sakura's lap. Sakura, however, felt a little worried and guilty at the same time. If she didn't leave Hinata alone, this might not have happened. Naruto and Sasuke kept arguing while Kakashi excused himself to get some more water for their two guests.

"Gomen, Sakura-chan," the blond sincerely apologized to the pink-haired girl, "It was an accident."

Sakura looked at him with plain, kind emerald eyes and smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, Naruto," Sakura glanced at Hinata, "She's still alive and breathing. However. . ."

Naruto looked at her with a confused expression.

"If I see one single scar," Sakura grinned wolfishly, "I'll have to bury you alive."

He gulped, while Sasuke smirked with pleasure. "Dobe," The raven-haired guitarist whispered to the band's drummer, "That's what you really deserve after invading a ladies' room."

"Well," Naruto argued, "If your building didn't lock boys' rooms without warning this wouldn't have happened!"

"I believe that room was under repair," Sasuke admitted but shot him a glare nonetheless. "But why didn't you use the other floor's bathroom instead?"

"It'd take a long time, Sasuke!" Naruto complained like a kid.

"Lazy dobe," Sasuke whispered, crossing his arms, which aroused Naruto's temper a little more.

Sakura didn't really feel angry with Naruto, she knew that it was all an honest mistake. She was sure that when Hinata woke up, she'd understand and just laugh at everything. That is, after Sakura did some explaining. As the pink-haired girl looked at the two men bickering, she couldn't retain her smile; she felt at home and comfortable with the two.

"I simply can't believe," Kakashi entered the scene with a cocky smile on his face, "Naruto invaded the ladies' room! Now _that's_ a first!" He laughed and placed the glasses of water on a table.

"Not you too, Kakashi!" Naruto groaned and sat on another sofa with his arms crossed.

"So," The band's manager grinned and sat beside Naruto, "How was it inside?"

The Uchiha sighed exasperatedly. It was pretty obvious that he didn't want to hear that nonsense.

"Eh?" Naruto inquired with a surprised face. "It was, well, normal. Of course, it was spotlessly clean."

Kakashi whistled. "Hm? That makes me even more curious," he chuckled, "I think I'll go visit it someday."

Naruto sighed and moved his gaze to Hinata. He quickly stood up and jumped for joy, which surprised the band, needless to say.

"Look!" Naruto pointed at the stirring Hinata, "Hinata-chan's gaining consciousness!"

Sakura, startled, quickly looked at her friend moving a bit slightly in her lap. She must not have noticed it because watching Naruto and Sasuke was distracting her. Hinata slowly sat up with a little assistance from Sakura. Sakura sighed in relief. _'At least Hinata-chan's alright now.'_

Hovering behind Sasuke's back, Naruto examined Hinata very intensely. Sasuke could feel Naruto's feeling of guilt and concern.

"You better stay where you are, dobe," he warned, crossing his arms. "You don't want her to faint again, right?"

Naruto shook his head vehemently. Obviously, he didn't want Hinata fainting on him again. "Yeah, I'll go grab a Coke or something. Just call me if she's feeling any better, alright?"

Sakura grabbed a glass of water and gave it to Hinata. "Hinata-chan? Are you all right? Here, have this glass of water," she offered.

At first, Hinata was gently massaging her forehead. She then opened her eyes and was relieved to see her pink-headed friend's sweet smile. She took a deep breath and accepted Sakura's offer, although there were already hundreds of questions occupying her mind at that very moment.

"Thanks." She whispered to her friend, "You know what, Sakura-chan?"

"What?" Sakura whispered, glad Hinata was opening up to her already, and because Hinata didn't seem to have noticed Naruto's presence. He was already in the small kitchen-like area.

"I-I saw a _guy_!" Hinata exclaimed _happily_, "In a ladies' room, Sakura!"

Sakura pretended she didn't know the entire thing because she didn't want to make Hinata feel even more confused. "Really?" She asked with interest, "What's he look like?"

Hinata blushed. "Well, as far as I can remember, he has blond hair and beautiful baby blue eyes. He really looked. . .charming, yet a little rough around the edges."

That made Sasuke smirk, which made Hinata notice him.

"Gomen," She looked at Sasuke from head to toe, "Sakura-chan, who is he?"

"Uh, right," Sasuke replied in his deep voice, "I'm Uchiha Sasuke, owner of KTV Corporation and guitarist of the band. I'm with Miss Haruno here because of her contract signing that was _supposed_ to have happened fifteen minutes ago."

Sakura giggled quietly at his answer. She must've not noticed that time passed.

"Oh, I see! Pleasure to meet you, Uchiha-san." Hinata greeted respectfully.

Sasuke gently shook his head then spoke. "No need to call me that," he sighed, "I'm only the same age as Sakura."

Hinata nodded and smiled at Sakura, who was a bit surprised at two things. First, he didn't give Hinata the cold shoulder treatment like he gave Sakura the first time they met. _'Does that mean something?' _Second, at the very young age of eighteen, he was able to run a company as big as KTV Corp _and_ have a successful career as a guitarist.

'_Uchiha Sasuke is really a mysterious person,' _she thought. Sakura couldn't help herself from staring at Sasuke. He really was the mysterious type. His onyx eyes, to her, were his best features. He looked so daring and dangerous, but something was different about him. She kept staring at him, and once again, she lost herself in his eyes.

Suddenly, Sasuke caught her looking at him. He smirked, while Sakura blushed. She quickly broke eye contact and faced Hinata, her face still red.

"Uh, um," Sakura tried to change the subject, "Do you have the slightest idea _who_ bought you here, Hina?" She grinned.

"Come to think of it," Hinata spoke with interest, "I don't. Do you, Sakura-chan?"

As Sakura saw Naruto approaching towards them with a cola, she patted Hinata on the back and whispered, "You're going to find out soon enough." The pink-haired girl pointed the approaching Naruto out to her friend. Hinata couldn't believe her eyes. It was him. It must be _him_. He had the same blond hair and set of beautiful baby blue eyes. He was holding a cola and walking towards the trio. Naruto grinned at the shocked Hinata, whose cheeks were turning slightly pink.

She and Sakura stood up while the dark-haired girl faced Naruto. "Hinata," Sakura began, "Meet Uzumaki Naruto. He's the one that bought you here."

Even though she was surprised, Hinata was able to ask her friend, "Was he the one that invaded the ladies' room?"

Sakura sighed but smiled at her. "Yes, he is the one," she explained, "There _is_ a valid reason why he did that, though. Well, it's a pretty long story."

Hinata looked at him again, smiled, then whispered, "I-I understand."

Naruto grinned, "That's better! I guess we have to start all over again, Hinata-chan!" he exclaimed as he stretched out his right hand. "Hi, I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Who are you?"

Hinata was surprised but slowly reached out her own right hand. Smiling softly, the two shook hands.

"Hi Naruto," Hinata whispered while blushing, "I'm Hyuuga Hinata, Sakura's best friend."

'_Pleased to meet you. . .'

* * *

_

After introducing Hinata to Kakashi, the manager of band, she sat in the corner and watched Sakura sign her contract. Sakura looked nervous, but she had a right to be since after this, there'd be no more turning back. She glanced at her friend who simply gave an encouraging thumbs-up.

Uchiha Sasuke offered a seat to Sakura then went to his own chair, located right in front of her. He examined her. She was nervous and having doubts. Finally, the members of band sat down and gathered at a small round table. A nervous Sakura, a grinning Naruto, a silent Kakashi and an emotionless Sasuke.

"Yeah, well," Sakura whispered to the group, "Will you explain everything to me now? Just before I sign my contract, Sasuke promised that you all would."

Kakashi gave Sasuke a surprised glance, then threw a questioning look to Sakura. "What are you talking about?"

"Hyuuga Neji," Sakura murmured. "I want to know more about Neji."

Kakashi looked at her strangely, then grinned. "So, Miss Haruno here is interested in Neji, ne?"

Sasuke looked away, showing them that he didn't care, even though, somewhere deep inside of him, he hated it when Sakura talked about Neji.

Sakura shook her head rapidly, trying to hide her slight blush. "No! No, it's not that! It's just, well, um. . . Do I _really_ have to compete with Neji?"

The rest fell silent, especially Sasuke. _How could they explain this?_ How could they say _"Yes, you have to compete with him" _in a comforting way?

Kakashi nodded, staring into her worried green eyes. "I'm afraid you have to, Sakura. It's not only for us and KTV Corp, but also for your own sake." He spoke in a serious tone.

"Why?" Sakura managed to ask, "What did he do?"

"Well," Kakashi gave a lazy sigh and stretched, "It's a pretty long story."

"I'm all ears." Sakura declared.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. "She's determined, Kakashi."

"Okay," Kakashi started the storytelling, "Hyuuga Neji was our former band's singer. He was a great musician and also played the bass. He was a good companion even though he has the same boring attitude as Sasuke."

Sakura smiled, listening attentively. Naruto couldn't help laughing at Kakashi's comment. Hinata also smiled from the corner, listening to the band's conversation.

'_They're not boring. . .'_ Sakura defended in thought, _'They're just secretive and mysterious. . .' _

Sasuke shot murderous look to Kakashi, who simply chuckled, declaring that it was just a joke. He then looked solemnly at Sakura and continued.

"Our band was perfect. Hyuuga Neji as the lead singer and bass player, Uchiha Sasuke as the back-up singer and guitarist, Uzumaki Naruto playing the drums, and me as their manager and personal song writer," Kakashi grinned, "It was easy for us, skyrocketing to fame, but. . ."

"But. . .?" Sakura asked, somehow not surprised.

"But," Kakashi continued, "Just after our very first successful concert where he finally established his own name, he left the band without notice. He entered the modeling world and went on solo. He simply watched the band on its downfall, Sakura. Even though it's the one that made him rich and famous."

"He used us!" Sasuke spat, "Neji used the band for his own purpose!"

"I guess that's it," Kakashi said, trying to calm down the Uchiha. "That's what happened between the band and Neji."

"What made him enter modeling, Kakashi?" Sakura asked, "Do you have an idea?"

"Not a thing," Kakashi sighed, "But it was once rumored that he entered modeling because of a certain girl, but after that, I have no idea."

Sakura heaved a sigh and nodded. Everybody was once again silent before Sasuke spoke calmly.

"That's why we need you, Sakura." He explained, "We need you to save the band."

"Why me?" Sakura managed to ask, still unbelieving about the things she heard about Neji. She was staring at the floor.

Kakashi chuckled. "The first time we met you, at the audition, we already knew that you're no ordinary girl. You're special and that makes you stand out. And besides. . ."

Sakura looked at Kakashi, interested. There was always something else with that man.

"You're the only one that ever," Kakashi grinned, "melted our guitarist's cold heart."

Naruto laughed hysterically now, he was already in tears when Sakura felt her cheeks burn. She simply played with a lock of her pink hair and smiled. She didn't have the guts to look at Sasuke and see his reaction but she heard Sasuke mumbling something to Naruto. "Dobe"

'_I wonder if he's blushing too. . .' _Sakura asked herself.

'**Hah! That'll be the day!'** Inner Sakura cackled.

"So," Naruto jumped enthusiastically towards her, "Are you signing the contract, Sakura-chan?"

Everybody fell silent for the awaited moment. First, Sakura looked at Kakashi who nodded, as if saying _'What do you have to lose, Sakura? Sign it.' _She then glanced at the blond beside him, his expression saying, _'SIGN IT! It'll be fun, Sakura-chan!'_. Then, she looked behind her and saw her friend's smiling pure white eyes, as if saying, '_Whatever you choose, Sakura, I'll always be beside you and supporting you'_

Finally, her gaze landed on Sasuke, his daring eyes meeting with her hesitant ones. They stayed like that for a short while before she heard him actually _speak_. "Don't worry," he whispered, ". . .I will try protect you. . ."

Uchiha Sasuke actually _said_ that, she could even remember the movement of his lips. She didn't just imagine him saying it, but he actually said it! However, it was only she that heard Sasuke. . . but she didn't care. It was comforting to know that someone was there to protect her.

She nodded then smiled, she grabbed a black pen and wrote her signature,_ H. Sakura_,on a space only provided for her. She sighed in relief, she was now officially a part of the band. Sakura smiled, feeling calm. Someone was there to catch her whenever she fell and she knew she didn't need to worry.

'_Sasuke. . .'_

Sasuke smirked, even Naruto could tell that he was pretty happy. Of course, Naruto was happy too, but not the same way as Sasuke. Hinata jumped up and hugged her friend.

"Oh, before I forget," Sakura smiled at Kakashi, "Will I have a personal wardrobe designer?"

Kakashi chuckled. "But of course," he grinned, "You do need one, Sakura. You're going to be famous now! You have to pick fresh, new, stylish kinds of teen dresses from now on."

"Do you want me to call someone now, Kakashi?" Sasuke asked, reaching for his cell phone.

"Oh, no need!" Sakura exclaimed. She dragged Hinata forward and grinned. "Hinata's a great designer! Sure, she didn't graduate from a fashion school or something, but she's really good! Can I. . . pretty please. . . have her as my own designer?"

"Well, I don't know. . ." Kakashi examined Hinata.

"Please," Sakura smiled, "She really is cool! She did _this_ outfit just by gathering some old stuff from my closet!" she exclaimed while pointing at her dress.

"Okay!" Naruto declared, "I agree with Sakura, you're hired, Hinata!"

Kakashi and Sasuke both exchanged surprised looks, then glared at Naruto.

"Don't worry, guys," Naruto whispered, "I can say she's pretty good, just look at Sakura, Hinata knows her best features! Give her a chance, and well, I want to apologize for scaring her earlier."

"Hn," Sasuke nodded, "I have to admit, she's got taste. Ok, Hinata, You're hired."

"Arigato Gozaimasu," Hinata whispered happily.

"Thanks, Sasuke. . ." Sakura smiled warmly.

Sasuke simply nodded while Kakashi approached the two girls. He checked some papers. "Uh, a little problem, Sakura," he warned, "I just remembered, you don't have any past music experience."

"Yeah, that's right," Sakura nodded sadly, "I don't have any experience in music, especially in singing, but I do enjoy doing it."

"Kakashi," Sasuke interrupted, "I'll take care of this. Give me a week and I'll teach her personally." His tone was serious. "I know she can do this, we'll practice everyday in my own house."

Sakura was speechless, but when Sasuke looked at her, she managed to nod.

"Then," Sasuke continued, "After a week, we can have Sakura's first public performance." He smirked.

'**What! Traitor!'** Inner Sakura roared.

"Are you sure, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, rather shocked, "Can she do it? In only a week?" Even Naruto and Hinata seemed to be surprised.

"Yes. It'll be hectic and difficult, but," Sasuke sighed, "I know she can go through with it."

"Yeah," Kakashi grinned impishly, "If you _say_ so Sasuke. You seem to have a lot of faith in Sakura."

The pink-haired singer blushed yet again.

"Hn." The Uchiha nodded and walked towards Sakura.

"Thanks, everybody. . ." Sakura whispered, teary-eyed. She smiled at Sasuke. "You all gave me a fresh new start, I'll never forget this."

"Sakura. . ." Sasuke reached out his hand and smiled down at her.

'_Welcome to Crypz. . .'_

_Meanwhile. . ._

"Neji," Itachi shook his hand after Neji's contract signing, "Welcome back."

Neji nodded curtly. He didn't look pleased.

"Why the face?" Itachi asked. "You should feel proud, you're going to be a star _again_."

"I am _still_ a star, Itachi." Neji said, rather irritated, "Besides, I'm just doing this for_ my girl_." He stood up and began to leave.

"Very well," The crimson-eyed man nodded, "I do pity my 'dear brother' and his band, Crypz."

"Oh," Neji said with his back facing his manager, "I believe they already found a new singer."

Itachi jerked his head up in surprise.

"Yeah," he whispered with a smirk before completely leaving the dark office, "I believe her name was Haruno Sakura."

Neji's shadowy figure finally left, and only Itachi was left inside the dark office. An evil smirk crept across his face.

'_Haruno Sakura. . . This is getting quite interesting. . .'_

. . . to be continued. . .

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry for the late update, guys. I'm going to be busy because school's starting again. I wanna thank Skye, my beta-reader, for editing my story. Reviews will be nice, people.

**Votes: **Sasuke/Sakura: 15 votes.

Neji/Sakura: 7 votes, so far.

: _Keep voting, guys!_ :


	13. Chapter thirteen

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**A/N:** I know! I haven't been updating right lately. My laptop's doing a very fabulous job! (not), so I'm stuck with my mom's (always have time limit) computer. Anyway, I hope you all understand! Warning: Long chapter!

**B/N: **When she says 'Long chapter', she means it. Enjoy, all! Also, a 'hammer-on' is when you hit the fret board of a guitar with your left hand and make a note, as opposed to using your right hand to strum the strings like normal. It's incredibly difficult.  
(**To yume-chan**: What do you mean, 'For the most part'? Is there something I missed?)

* * *

**Chapter thirteen**

_Monday, 6:30 am_

Haruno Sakura, newly found singer of _Crypz_, woke up from a dreamless sleep. She groaned and tried heading back to dreamland. Unfortunately, she didn't succeed. She tried again, but the light from her windows reached her emerald eyes and kept her from her much-desired snooze.

The house was silent as always, but that time its silence was almost deafening. She could assume that she was the first one to wake, since Hinata was quite tired from designing mountains of clothes, and Ino always slept in.

Sakura sighed, gently sat up and lazily stretched her arms. "I feel so light, I wonder why. . ." she whispered to herself. She looked out from her window and she admired the view of her quiet city. . . too quiet, and too far from the bustling city where KTV Building was located.

Of course, she remembered everything that happened two days ago, from the confrontation between Neji and Sasuke to her contract signing. She felt proud of herself for such an accomplishment. Sakura didn't know she was that brave, and finally, she was able to move on. _'So that's why I feel so light. . .so free.'_

She stood up and walked towards her favorite full-length mirror. Looking at her reflection, Sakura smiled.

'**I really think it was weird of Sasuke to choose you, out of everyone there! You don't even look cute!'** Inner Sakura teased.

"So, what do you call yourself, 'Miss Beautiful'?" Sakura replied, trying to annoy her inner self.

**'Hell yeah!'** Inner Sakura boasted.

Sakura sighed and combed her hair. She disagreed with her inner self. She wasn't particularly ugly; she could actually be rather pretty sometimes. She examined herself closer. Her mother had given her a little bit of 'star quality' through the miracle of heredity, for which she was thankful.

'_Now what do I have to do today? There's something important. . .Darn, I can't remember!'_ she cursed herself for being forgetful for the past few days. Something or someone had been troubling her mind for a while.

She did remember one thing she'd been meaning to do, though. The pink-haired singer took a deep breath and opened the lowest drawer of her bedside table. She searched for the once-undamaged photo of Gaara and herself. It was of their first date, which was a very unusual date. They had met up in their school's art room, and like little children, started to throw paint at each other. Unbeknownst to Sakura, Gaara had hidden a camera and taken a picture of the both of them grinning, with paint smeared on their faces.

Now, the photo's upper left corner was blurred somehow. Sakura's continuous tears were probably what ruined it. It's officially over now, she declared mentally. She bounced to her bed, opened her window and took one last look at their photo and her past.

She smiled again, a genuine smile. She was ready to move on, embrace the future and let go of the past. Sakura ripped the photo into pieces and let the morning wind carry the small pieces to different directions.

Sakura looked at the sky. "What a glorious morning!" she said, stretching her arms. She looked once again at the beautiful view.

"Indeed it is," a voice from below said, startling the pink-haired starlet.

"What the hell!" Sakura jumped at the sound of the voice that she knew belonged to Uchiha Sasuke. Unfortunately, the window frame was closer than she thought, so she bumped her head and nearly fell from her window.

"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted, almost waking half of the people living in the neighborhood, "Damn it! Be careful!"

"Sasuke!" Sakura yelled in response, almost awakening the other half of the sleeping neighbors, "What are you doing outside my house?" she asked.

Sasuke smirked. "You don't know where I live, do you?"

"No I don't," Sakura blushed, and then added from her window, "Why should I?"

"Tell me," Sasuke replied with a pinch of sarcasm, "How could I possibly teach you to sing if you don't know where my house, where you're going to learn to sing, is?"

Sakura gasped. "Oh my goodness, I completely forgot," she whispered. "Wait, how did you know where I live?"

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke," The blue-haired guitarist smirked, "I can have all the information I want in a push of a button. Besides, the band has copies of your documents, including your address."

"Oh," Sakura giggled. "My mistake!"

"Hurry up, will ya?" Sasuke commanded impatiently.

"Hey! Quit yelling! Some people are trying to sleep here!" One of Sakura's neighbors complained.

Sakura giggled even more. "Wait right there, Sasuke, I'll go downstairs and let you in. You'll have to wait a bit, I'm not quite ready yet." she then left.

Sasuke silently stood beside his expensive, black convertible.

Sakura, with her pink pajamas still on, went down the stairs and opened the door. She was greeted with Uchiha Sasuke's smirking figure.

"Hn," Sasuke muttered, "Now I know what you meant by 'not quite ready yet'." He ignored the flushed Sakura and entered the living room.

"Oh," She said embarrassedly, "I just woke up, Sasuke. I didn't expect you come early. Actually, I didn't expect you to come at all."

"The earlier the better." Sasuke sat down on Sakura's clean, white sofa.

"Um," Sakura scratched her head, "Well, I have to take a bath upstairs first, could you wait here? It'll only take a minute."

Sasuke nodded curtly.

"Oh, and by the way," Sakura added, "Don't make too much noise or anything, my friends are fast asleep upstairs, and you wouldn't want to startle two innocent, sleeping girls right?"

"You live with your friends?" Sasuke asked, surprised, naturally thinking of Hinata. "Don't they annoy you?"

"Not at all, of course not!" Sakura shook her head. "It's actually fun. We do things together and we help each other. After all, that's what friends are for."

Sasuke didn't make any nasty comments, choosing instead to be silent.

"I believe you already met one of my friends, Hinata-chan." Sakura smiled proudly. "She's sound asleep right now because she was busy with her job last night. My other friend, well, you won't meet her now, she sleeps forever."

"Alright," Sasuke said nonchalantly. "You better hurry up, Sakura. Time is precious."

Sakura smiled. "Fine, please wait for a bit. I'm a real mess: my hair, my face. . . argh! You can't see a star-to-be like this, right?" she joked over her shoulder as she ran upstairs.

Sasuke smirked at what she said and thought, _'They say that true beauty can be seen during mornings because that's where you show your natural self and the face's still unspoiled and untouched.'_

Sasuke watched her retreating figure and couldn't help but smile.

'_You are beautiful, Haruno Sakura. . . Naturally beautiful. . .'

* * *

_

After fifteen minutes of waiting, Sakura finally tiptoed down to the living room, where Sasuke had buried himself in different magazines, just to keep himself busy. He looked up at her and nodded. She was beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful, he admitted to himself.

Sakura, with her natural and beautiful smile, apologized to Sasuke. Before they left, she placed a note by the fridge to inform her friends of her whereabouts. She didn't want them worrying too much.

"Ready to go?" Sakura asked quietly, slightly embarrassed about forcing Uchiha Sasuke to wait.

Sasuke was awfully silent, but he nodded. As they were about to leave the quiet living room, Sasuke noticed something and broke the silence.

"Who's that?" He asked while pointing at a photograph next to the table.

"Huh?" Sakura asked, then glanced at the picture. Disappointment flashed across her face. "Oh, _that_," She sighed. _'I thought I already threw that away!'_ It was a picture of Gaara and herself.

"I assume," Sasuke spoke carefully, looking closer at the photo, "He's Gaara?"

"Yeah," Sakura sighed. She retrieved the picture and hid it inside a kitchen drawer. "He was someone special."

"You two still together?" Sasuke asked, staring intently at her. Sakura didn't dare look into his gaze.

"Oh." Sakura managed to fake a smile. "It didn't work out like I thought it would," She replied, almost whispering.

Sasuke didn't say another word, just kept watching her. Sakura's smile faded, her eyes were tearing up. _'Damn it! I made her cry. . . again!' _Sasuke thought angrily to himself.

"Okay," He whispered, "Let's go." He grabbed her wrist and led her from the house.

Sakura quickly wiped the crystal tears from her eyes with her free hand. She looked at Sasuke's grip on her. It was possessive, like he wasn't going to let her go anymore, not going to let her fall under Gaara's spell again. If she hadn't looked at the still-intact picture of Gaara just then, she could have moved on with her life and left the past behind. Abandoned certain memories. Left her memories with Gaara.

But, that way of thinking was wrong, as Sasuke had taught her. She could not forget or abandon the past like that. She had to remember it bravely, learn from her former mistakes, and try not to make them again. Her gaze once again fell on the blue-haired guitarist, and she smiled gratefully.

Sasuke could have sworn Sakura whispered something. It sounded like "Arigatou Gozaimasu. . ."

He didn't bother to ask. "Get in," he said, "I'll drive."

"Wait," Sakura hesitated, blushing, "I'll just take the back seat!"

"No way, Sakura." Sasuke smirked. "Then everybody who sees us will think that I'm your personal driver! Naturally, I'd find that insulting."

Of course, Sakura wouldn't want to insult Sasuke, who was practically her employer. She'd love to have a ride in his black convertible, especially in the front seat, but _not _with her outfit! Sakura was wearing a red tank top with a matching white pencil skirt that had red stripes on each side. It showed all her curves but still made her look clean and gentle. She didn't want too many accessories, so she had only added a white newsboy cap that matched her skirt.

Sakura shook her head and said firmly, "I prefer to be at the back, Uchiha-san." She grinned, hoping he'd consider what she said but doubting it. "I would hate to cramp your style."

Sasuke smirked. "Do you think that I'm going to try and seduce you or something?" he asked sardonically. "Think again. I've seen far prettier girls, Sakura." Of course, that was a lie.

"Alright," Sakura gulped nervously, "But keep your eyes on the road, okay?"

Sasuke nodded, climbed in the car, and started the engine. "Certainly."

Sasuke kept his word. His eyes stayed on the road for the most part, but sometimes they'd wander to Sakura, who was enjoying the view. If she smiled, something inside of him would make him nervous. Her hair was dancing in the wind that whipped around the car. It was a short and speedy ride, but for Sakura, it was an unforgettable experience. The car pulled up to the Uchiha mansion.

At first, all Sakura could see was the pure marble that supposedly circled the entire complex. She was at the famous Uchiha residence. Just in front of the car was a solid gate with vines of ivy clinging to it. Sasuke pushed something in his car and the gates opened dramatically. Sakura was excited, of course, like a little kid entering the biggest candy store in Tokyo. Although she tried hard to hide her excitement, she kept mumbling how beautiful everything was.

Sasuke, feeling amused at Sakura's amazement, smirked and watched her covertly. After the gates finished opening, he drove down the path, towards the house.

The first thing Sakura saw was a gigantic and magnificent garden. The pink-haired girl couldn't believe her eyes, so she just stared in wonder. It was a gorgeous garden, filled with white and red roses. A pleasant aroma swirled through the air. Sasuke drove through calmly.

"Oh my," she gasped at the magnificent view, while stammering, "Y-you have a garden of roses, i-it's beautiful."

"Yeah well," Sasuke shrugged, "My mom loved roses."

"Really?" Sakura's face brightened. She liked roses too! "Where is she?"

Sasuke was silent at first, but was able to reply weakly, "She died when I was still four years old."

"Oh, gomen. . ." Sakura apologized quietly. Sasuke gave her a reassuring look, as if he was saying it was okay.

"So, I think you grew fond of the garden," Sakura continued, smiling. "Who wouldn't? It's got a certain charm. Did you continue your mom's work here?"

Sasuke nodded and sighed. "Yeah, something like that," he said, "But Itachi hates the smell of roses."

"I think," Sakura gazed at him with a casual air, "It's lovely, Sasuke."

They finally reached the mansion. Sakura was amazed at its beauty, as she was with everything there. The estate was made of marble with some more vines partially covering it. The marble was white, pure and clean. Sakura didn't expect all of this from the cold-hearted guitarist; she expected something like a big old Victorian house with creaking doors and a graveyard in the back. She was proved utterly wrong, for Sasuke's home was the exact opposite. The shining sun gave the place warmth and light, the aromatic roses made it seem like a small bit of paradise.

Sasuke parked the car led the way inside the mansion. Sakura trailed behind him, still marveling at the majestic mansion. Inside, there was a copious amount of rooms. She ran to Sasuke's side, afraid of getting lost. They walked for some time and finally reached a room that appeared different from the others.

"This," Sasuke pointed at the door, "This is where the band usually has their practice."

"Okay," Sakura said happily, almost too excited to see what was inside.

"You're a part of our band now," Sasuke smiled, rather proud, "But before you practice with us, I have to teach you the basics in singing. You can manage, right?"

"Of course!" Sakura grinned, "Of course I can."

"Good," Sasuke replied, smirking. "That's the kind of answer I want to hear, it'll make the work easier for the both of us."

With that, he took key from his pocket and unlocked the door. The room was dark at first, but he flicked a switch and the whole place lit up. It wasn't an ordinary studio, it was _huge_. Some of the band's equipment lay at the center of the room. Guitars, drum sets, a microphone, and several large speakers were set up. Medals and trophies were displayed on a bookcase, and there were also some chairs and a refrigerator in the corner.

"Make yourself comfortable," Sasuke instructed, "I'm just going to fix my guitar strings and we'll start."

Sakura nodded like a good little kid and looked around the room. Her gaze fell on an old, stained guitar case. Her curiosity made her touch the case and she opened it. Inside was a bass. It was still in perfect condition, but Sakura wondered why it wasn't on display like the other equipment. Why was it just hidden in a corner?

"Hey Sasuke," Sakura held the bass up for him to see and inquired, "Who owns this?"

Sasuke glanced up a look of surprise crossed his face as he saw the bass that Sakura was holding. He stood and took the bass gingerly. "Do you really want to know, Sakura?" he asked calmly.

"Yeah," Sakura nodded, "Of course I do."

Sasuke smirked and nodded. "This once belonged to the Hyuuga."

Sakura was surprised and immediately fell silent. She had almost forgot that Neji existed. She always seemed to do that when she was with Sasuke.

'_Hyuuga Neji. . .'

* * *

_

After that, both were quiet for a while. Sasuke finished his business with his guitar and instructed Sakura to stand on their small platform.

First, he told Sakura that proper posture was necessary for good singing. Sakura straightened nervously and took a deep breath.

Proper breathing is also necessary, he added. For twenty minutes he simply sat there explaining the basics and secrets of having a strong set of lungs, which was necessary for singing the higher and lower notes. While Sakura was interested in what Sasuke had to say, she was getting tired. Nonetheless, she kept her posture straight and focused her full attention on what he was saying. She really wanted to go through with this.

After lecturing, he stood and picked up his guitar. "Okay," Sasuke declared, "Let's start."

Sakura nodded. Sasuke had her sing along to a few scales he played on his guitar as warm-ups. He told her the basics like holding the vowels and not consonants out. Sakura sang low scales, which slowly became higher and higher. Sasuke also told her to sing from the diaphragm, which Sakura obeyed after he told her where it was and convinced her that it wouldn't make her look fat. Much to her embarrassment, Sasuke had to hold his hand on her stomach to see if she was indeed breathing properly. Sasuke was annoyed because he was forced to hammer-on the scales on his guitar.

The blue-haired guitarist was a good teacher while Sakura was a good student. Their talents blended together well. Deep inside of Sasuke, he really was proud of her for being such a fast learner. He kept telling her that if she put her whole mind and heart to a certain task, she'd succeed in finishing it. Sakura took his words to heart and did her best. Time passed and they finished doing the basics, though Sasuke repeatedly reminded Sakura to practice, even if he wasn't around.

The Uchiha played the guitar while Sakura sang the simple melodies. She was fascinated by the way Sasuke handled the guitar, as if music was a part of his mind and soul. She knew immediately that he loved music. Once again, her song and his music flowed well together. Sasuke was being incredibly patient to Sakura and occasionally praised her for a job well done.

'_She's good. A very fast learner.'_ Sasuke thought while watching her sing. Her beautiful long pink hair swayed as she gently bobbed her head to keep the beat. Sasuke signaled for a short break, he handed her some water and let her sit down.

"You have an angelic voice," Sasuke mumbled, avoiding eye contact. "Any singers in your family?"

Sakura blushed at his remark, surprised. "Yes, my mom used to sing a lot."

Sasuke nodded. "What about your dad?" he asked, looking at her.

"Oh," Sakura giggled, "He was a businessman, but he didn't like music much. Art was his specialty. Mom and Dad were two very different people living in two different worlds, but they still found and loved each other."

"So were my mom and dad," Sasuke smirked, "He came from a wealthy family and owned a music company, while she was a simple florist."

"Wow," Sakura smiled, "It's possible, but it's still amazing."

Sasuke kept silent. For some reason, Sakura blushed_. Two very different people in two different worlds that found and loved one another._ Sounded familiar.

After their short break, they continued practicing. Sasuke had Sakura sing four different types of famous songs. They were finally exhausted after 2 hours of practice, including breaks. Before everything ended, Sasuke first gave her an assignment. He handed her a CD and told Sakura to listen to it and practice with it at home.

"Okay, I'll do that," Sakura smiled, "But I think I have to go."

"I'll drive you home," Sasuke offered. The two exited the studio and Sasuke paused to lock the door.

Sakura shook her head. "I can manage going back, besides, I have to stop for something." _'Groceries,'_ she added mentally, sighing.

"Are you sure?" Sasuke asked, sounding almost worried, "You know your way home?"

"I memorized all the directions when you were driving earlier, Sasuke!" Sakura laughed, trying to make him agree.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, while Sakura continued giving reasons as to why she was fine. Finally, he gave up. She was too much for him. However, Sasuke insisted that he walk her to the gate.

While they were walking down the halls, one of the doors opened and out came an older version of Sasuke. His face was much calmer and his eyes were more. . . dangerous.

It was Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. The siblings were silent as Itachi's gaze fell on none other than Haruno Sakura.

"I believe," Itachi spoke with a slight, cocky grin, "You have a guest, dear brother. Aren't you going to introduce me to her?"

Sasuke glared and put a hand in front of Sakura to keep her from getting close to Itachi. "What's the point?"

"How rude," Itachi replied, "I simply want to meet the Crypz new singer, brother. She's beautiful, I must say."

"She really is," Sasuke's glare turned icy, "Now if you'll kindly-"

Before he could finish, Itachi stretched his hand out towards Sakura and smirked at her, looking right through her green eyes. "I am Uchiha Itachi," he informed her. "Nice to meet you, Haruno-san."

Sakura didn't have any choice but to shake his hand. She didn't want to be rude to anybody, even Sasuke's brother. "Yeah, well, nice to meet you too."

"It's my pleasure," Itachi replied, "I hope to see you in the future. Good day, Haruno-san." He then strolled right past them and towards the balcony.

Sakura and Sasuke watched him leave, then continued walking to the gate silently. They finally reached it and Sakura looked at Sasuke with worried eyes.

"Have I done something wrong?" Sakura inquired softly.

"No," he replied with equal volume, "You did the right thing. You really do deserve to be Crypz lead singer."

Somehow, Sakura felt special. Her cheeks turned pink and she smiled. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow!" she said cheerfully as she turned to leave.

"Bye." Sasuke mumbled, "Be careful, Sakura."

The Uchiha watched the pink-haired girl's figure slowly fading from his sight. He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced back towards his house. Itachi stood, smirking, on the balcony where he had seen the whole thing. Sasuke glared at him and looked in Sakura's direction once again.

'_And I mean it. . .'

* * *

_

After ten minutes of wandering, Sakura finally found her way to the supermarket just near her house. She had been entrusted with a very cruel task the night before: doing the groceries.

Sakura finally left the building with three plastic bags full of food. She carried them carefully and checked the time. It was nearly lunchtime. Then she realized that she hadn't eaten breakfast that morning.

She felt her stomach churn_. 'I was so excited about what to wear, I forgot to eat!'_

'**So? Whose fault was that?'** Inner Sakura asked grumpily.

"Okay, okay," Sakura sighed, "Mine."

She wished for a taxi to appear instantly and take her home, where she'd eat, then sleep. Oh, before sleeping, she'd practice singing, then sleep. Or, the taxi wouldn't come and she'd bump into her prince charming who would treat her to lunch in _Chez Laire_ (a very expensive restaurant) and take her home. Sakura laughed. That was impossible, beyond impossible.

She passed by _Chez Laire_, looking wishfully for that taxi. Sakura then saw a familiar person drive his black sports car into the parking area of the restaurant. He was formally dressed and very handsome, yet he hid his eyes behind dark glasses. The funny part was, when he spotted Sakura he smiled and started towards her.

The pink-haired girl felt her hands sweat; he was walking towards her, that was for sure. There was no one beside her or behind her. He stopped when they were mere inches away and smiled.

"Sakura," The man said, "What are you doing here?"

Sakura looked at him, trying to remember him. "I'm sorry, h-have we met?"

"Kami, am I not famous anymore?" He asked, removing his glasses. His famous and beautiful white eyes met Sakura's green ones.

"Oh my!" Sakura gasped, "Neji! Gomen, I didn't recognize you!"

Neji smirked. "That's quite understandable. I need to hide myself in public, you know." With that, he returned the black glasses to their proper location, hiding his eyes once more.

"Yeah," Sakura agreed, remembering the time when she was pushed out of the crowd because of Neji in KTV building, "You probably do."

"So," he smirked, "How're the lessons? Is Sasuke being too hard on you?"

Sakura's head jerked up. "What? How did you know?"

"Itachi, of course," he replied coolly, "He called me earlier to inform me that he had finally seen the new lead singer of Crypz."

"Oh." Sakura managed to reply, still doubtful.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, changing the topic.

"Groceries," she said, looking at her bags. "Hoping to find a taxi," she added, her stomach churning a little more.

Sakura blushed, while Neji smirked. "I'm suppose to meet up with someone, but unfortunately, she couldn't come," he said with a pinch of sadness in his face.

"Well," Sakura replied, "I shouldn't keep you waiting." She noticed that her wish was granted and a yellow cab was heading their direction.

"Wait," Neji grabbed her wrist, "Would you kindly join me for lunch?"

Sakura blinked for a moment, remembering Sasuke and his worries. Then there she was, about to go out to lunch with his rival.

Sakura started thinking._ 'Why would Sasuke care? It's just a simple lunch between friends. A simple lunch with Hyuuga Neji.'_

She looked back at Neji. "Don't worry," he said, "I'll take you home after lunch."

"Wait," Sakura protested, "What about my groceries?"

"Let's leave them in my car," Neji suggested. Sakura nodded and agreed to eat with him.

They entered _Chez Laire_, Sakura walking nervously and Neji acting like he owned the place. H removed his glasses, since no one would make a scene there. It was practically a non-public restaurant because its prices were so ridiculous. The pair took their seats, ordered something and waited.

"I-I've seen your bass, Neji," Sakura mumbled, "It's still in good condition."

Neji was surprised and looked at her. "Really?" he asked, "Is it still in Sasuke's house?"

"Yeah," she replied, "They didn't throw it away."

"That's strange," Neji muttered, more to himself than Sakura. "I thought they would have thrown it out the window the moment I left the band."

Sakura kept silent, she didn't want to comment on that. She simply played with a strand of her pink hair and gazed at her feet.

"Neji. . .?" she whispered, not looking at him, "Can I ask you something?"

Neji looked at her, as if saying 'Go on'.

"Why did you leave the band?" Sakura asked, looking intently at her shoes.

Neji was silent for a moment, then looked out the window of _Chez Laire._

"If you don't want to answer that," Sakura smiled and lifted her head, "It's just fine."

Neji shook his head and looked at her emerald eyes. "If you love someone, Sakura, you'll do anything for that person. Right?" he asked.

"Depends," Sakura whispered, "Not everything though."

Neji murmured, "I believe that if you want to be with someone, you'll do anything for that person, even if it's against your will. For me, that's what I call 'love'." His expression softened a bit.

"Love," Sakura smiled, "Must always be give and take. It'd be unfair to the pair in love if only one is taking, while the other one is only giving. I believe that if someone loves someone else, they'd be happy with each others' happiness and they'd respect each other."

Neji fell silent. She smiled. "Don't mind me, everybody has different ideas about love."

He smirked and said, "How do you know this stuff, Sakura? I bet someone as pretty as you has been in love."

"Once." Sakura tried to smile.

The waiters finally served their meals. Neji thanked Sakura for her insight. She nodded absently, looked out the window of _Chez Laire_, and smiled before turning back to her food.

'_I fell in love, once. . . and now, it'll only exist in my memory, in my past. . .'

* * *

_

**A/N: Thank you, Skye! **(For everything!) Anyway, Ahem, I want to say sorry to everybody because of my slow updates. I hope you all understand. Thanks again for those who reviewed (No, Really, I appreciate them!).

**Votes:**

**Sakura with Sasuke: **31 votes.

**Sakura with Neji: **16 votes, so far.

_: Keep voting, guys:_


	14. Chapter fourteen

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto

**A/N**: I really want to apologize to everyone! I'm aware that I haven't been able to update faster. This is the first time I ever experienced writer's block and believe me, it is not a good thing. So, what else can I say? Please read and enjoy this very long chapter! (I'm thinking of making my chapters longer now because of my late updates.)

**B/N**: Bleh... Gomen, minna-san. I apologize for the extra delay. Long chapter, long beta-reading process, you do the math. Gomen nasai!

* * *

**Chapter fourteen**

_Thursday, 5:30 am_

Sakura ran her hands over the wall, where the light switch should've been. She couldn't see anything from the top of the stairs, since it was still quite dark. After several attempts, she finally found the switch, turned the lights on and walked towards the fridge, wondering if there was anything edible in there.

'_It's still too early for breakfast,' _Sakura thought, yawning. The pink-haired singer hadn't been able to sleep at all last night.

She looked inside the fridge and stared at its contents. Finally, she decided to have ice cream, although Sasuke told her not to. The dairy in it would be bad for her voice, but even knowing that she couldn't help it. Sakura tried halfheartedly not to touch the forbidden food but her hands reached for the chocolate ice cream, scooped some out and placed it in her cup.

Before the spoon reached her mouth, she froze. '_Damn, Sasuke's going to kill me!'_ Sakura realized, still staring at the mouth-watering spoonful of rich, creamy, chocolate sweetness.

'**It's only for today, Sakura! It's been two incredibly long days of practice, and what Sasuke doesn't know won't hurt him!'** Inner Sakura persisted.

'_Yes, you're right. I think I deserve a treat!'_ Sakura smiled and ate the food.

Sakura sat alone in the dining room. She could just barely make out Ino's snoring from upstairs, and she knew Hinata was still asleep too. Sakura ate her ice cream as silently as she could, thinking about her career. She'd been practicing with Sasuke for the last two days and was doing fine--actually, better than fine. She had improved a lot because of his constant teaching and patience. Although she hadn't had an official practice with the whole band, she was still happy with Sasuke's company.

But then she started thinking deeper, doubting herself. Did she really have the guts to be a singer?

She ate another spoonful of ice cream, stopping at the thought of Neji. She hadn't gotten a chance to see him since their rather personal lunch talk. To Sakura, he was just a friend, but now she wondered if... was Hyuuga Neji also her rival? Just like he was Sasuke's rival?

'_No!' _

Sakura shook her head, ate another spoonful and picked up a small stack of magazines that were lying on the table. Ino loved to collect the kind of magazines that discussed teen life, fashion, and celebrities. Although Sakura was never particularly fond of fashion or celebrities' lives, she would browse through Ino's collection when she was bored.

Something caught her eye as she reached the third one from the bottom. A photo of Neji was on the cover. She picked up the magazine and ate another spoonful of ice cream, flipping through the pages of the magazine. It was sold yesterday; Ino must have bought it after work last night.

_Cool Teen Magazine_ was the second-most famous and the coolest magazine in Tokyo. Of course Neji's handsome face would be plastered on the cover. Well, he was really famous. The article inside was entitled:_ 'The Hyuuga, Back in the Music World!' _It read:

'**_The Hyuuga, Back in the Music World!_**

_**Yes, Hyuuga Neji is back to once again pursue his singing career! He left his former band, Crypz, and started his solo career in modeling a while ago, but once again, he will enter the music world! Hyuuga already signed his contract in KTV Corporation under Uchiha Itachi's management. It was once rumored that this daring singer left Crypz because of a certain girl. Who? Nobody knows who she is but we at CTM are sure that Hyuuga will be skyrocketing to fame once again! Another star is reborn! The next five pages are recent photos of him.**_

_**-Cool Teen Magazine' **_

Sakura sighed; she really was nothing compared to him. Neji was a handsome, well-bred man, a fantastic singer and bass player, and a famous model. Sakura was just a pink-haired painter living a modest life, an amateur singer carrying a broken heart.

She ate another spoonful of her delicious ice cream and skipped a couple of pages. Another article about the band, Crypz, caught her eye. It read:

_'**Crypz New Lead Singer: Ready to Take on Hyuuga Neji's Place?**_

_**After Hyuuga Neji left it, Crypz didn't give up hope. Instead the remaining band members started an audition to have someone fill Hyuuga's place! It is rumored that the girl they found is a fantastic singer and has the approval of all three group members. According to rumor, she also signed her contract recently! Hatake Kakashi, band manager, when asked to comment chuckled and said, "She is an incredible singer. She's got heart, talent, and a sweet and kind personality. There was no argument about whether she was right for the band or not." There's still not enough information, but Hatake announced yesterday that the band is holding an upcoming press conference and will be presenting the new singer to the public! She may be good, but is she really good enough to be a challenge to Hyuuga?**_

_**-Cool Teen Magazine'**_

The pink-haired starlet was shocked. She didn't see that one coming. She hadn't even been introduced to the public and there was already a rumor about her! She never expected to end up in this kind of situation. Sakura once thought that she'd be a successful painter and live a simple, quiet life. Now she was the lead singer of a famous rock band, with magazines doubting her talent!

With that, she returned the magazine to its original location and covered her face with her hands, letting her thoughts scamper through her mind.

The minutes ticked by. Sakura's bowl of ice cream sat beside her, lonely and forgotten. She sighed a long, shuddering sigh, forcing all negative thoughts out of her brain.

"I'm going to have to face reality at some point," she mumbled through her hands. "I'm not the painter I was planning to be, so I'll just..." She lifted her head from her hands and smiled determinedly. "...Have to do a damn good job at proving myself!"

"S-Sakura-chan?" A soft voice from the top of the staircase startled Sakura.

"Hina!" Sakura jumped up and hid the cup and spoon she used for her ice cream. "Good morning!"

"Sakura-chan," Hinata spoke in a small but serious tone, " I know what you're facing right now."

Sakura flinched, all the negative thoughts rushing back into her mind. How could she even dream of being a threat to Neji? She was nowhere near as skilled as he was. She tried to hide her disheartened expression and shrugged. "I guess you caught me, huh?"

Hinata laughed softly and started down the stairs. "I did. I-it's pretty obvious, Sakura. I m-mean, you have chocolate stains around your mouth! You just couldn't keep yourself from eating the ice cream, ne?"

Sakura felt relieved and forced a smile. "Yeah, you caught me!" she said, walking towards the fridge. Then she asked, "Anyway, you're up early. What are we having for breakfast?"

The dark-haired girl walked towards Sakura carefully. "I saw the article last night, Sakura-chan," she whispered.

Sakura gave her friend a sad look and sighed. "Yeah... I'm in trouble, Hina."

"No you're not," Hinata said reassuringly. "I-I know you're not used to being on center stage or competing with people. Excluding Ino, of course. B-but you're already in this situation... You can't run away, you have to fight, Sakura-chan."

Sakura fell silent.

"Y-You need to fight," Hinata smiled warmly, "but we're not letting you fight alone.

"You have us."

Sakura hesitated then grinned, her eyes glittering determinedly. "Thanks. I'm going to work hard and I'm not going to let you both down."

"We're not letting you face the world alone. You have us, your friends, and we'll always be here for you, Sakura-chan." Hinata placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura's grin grew. "What would I do without you and Ino?"

A voice from the top of the staircase interrupted the pair. "You're both up early, is breakfast ready?" the blonde yawned, eyes still half-shut.

Sakura and Hinata simply looked at each other and fell into a fit of giggles.

"Sakura-chan," Hinata knocked on Sakura's door, "Are you ready?"

Sakura checked her appearance again in the full-length mirror. The slight bags under her eyes made her look sleepy, probably because of her tendency to practice alone, late at night. They were worth it, though, because she was improving drastically. She sighed, got her purse and opened the door.

"Gomen," Sakura apologized. "Is he here already?" She sat on the floor and began pulling on her shoes.

"Y-Yes, but he didn't come out of the limo," Hinata replied.

"Limo?" Sakura looked up from her shoes. "What limo?"

"You'll see." Hinata grinned. "Oh before I forget, please give these to Sasuke-san." She handed Sakura a brown envelope.

"What's this?"

"T-they're my designs," Hinata mumbled, blushing. "I hope everybody approves."

Sakura grinned. "I'm sure they'll love them!"

Hinata's expression relaxed, and then she smiled.

"Especially Naruto." Sakura added. The green-eyed girl laughed, heading downstairs. Her dark-haired friend was right behind her, blushing.

When they reached the kitchen, Ino was wolfing down her breakfast. She sighed. "I wish I could come with you, Sakura! But no, my schedule's too tight. Sorry!"

"Y-You have to take a break once in a while, Ino," Hinata stuttered. "That goes for you, too, Sakura-chan."

Sakura and Ino looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"W-What's so funny?" Hinata blushed.

Ino snorted. "You're acting like our mother, Hina!"

"So?" Hinata replied, still confused.

"Don't mind her, Hinata." Sakura smiled and walked towards the door, waving. "I gotta go, guys!"

"Good luck!" Ino briefly gave Sakura a thumbs-up before continuing with breakfast.

Hinata smiled and whispered to Sakura, "Please say hi to everyone for me."

Sakura looked back then winked. "Yup, bye now!" She headed outside and towards the limo.

The pink-haired girl thought it'd be Sasuke greeting her again, just like he had over the past two days, but she was wrong. It was a smiling old man with a long, black limo behind him (as opposed to Sasuke's convertible).

"Good morning, Ms. Haruno," The old man said formally, bowing. "I was sent here by Sasuke-sama to escort you."

'_Just as I thought, oh well.'_ Sakura sighed. "Oh, is that so? Thanks," she said.

The driver seemed satisfied with her response. In any case, he opened the door of the back seat and let her in. She was pretty cheerful at the prospect of sitting in the back seat of any of Uchiha Sasuke's cars. It made her feel important.

They drove for a few miles before reaching the Uchiha mansion. As soon as the limo passed through the silver gates, Sakura felt different. She suddenly got what her mother used to call a "gut instinct": something important was going on inside that very mansion. The driver parked the limo outside the mansion's main doors. The driver stepped out and opened her door.

"Here we are, Haruno-san," The old man bowed politely again.

Sakura smiled awkwardly and stepped out of the car. "Please," she mumbled. "No need to call me that. Sakura is just fine."

"Sakura-san it is then." The old man smiled amiably and shut the door behind her.

"Let me guess," she said impishly, grinning. "Sasuke's orders?"

"Hai," the driver nodded and bowed, "Sakura-san."

Sakura sighed.

He smiled good-naturedly once again and opened the car door, before pausing and adding, "Sasuke-sama was very strict about instructing me that I must take care of you as if you were a very valuable crystal." He entered the car. "He said that you're somebody special and should be given attention to."

Sakura gave him a surprised look.

"I guess Sasuke-sama is right." The driver chuckled and drove away.

Sakura smiled. She felt relaxed, somehow. Maybe it was because of what Sasuke apparently thought of her?

'_Nah,'_ Sakura forced that thought of her head and pushed through the mansion's main door.

The green-eyed starlet walked through the glossy marble halls with caution. There were no people around, making the house feel deserted and lonely. However, that was probably because all the maids and workers were not allowed in the living room when the band practiced. Sakura looked around but only saw expensive pieces of art and shiny rocks.

Sakura headed towards the grand staircase on her left. At first touch, the banister was cold. Eerily so. Maybe the house was affected by Sasuke's loneliness and attitude; it reflected his cold heart and nothing could give warmth to the place. At least, indoors. Outside, the garden was filled with life and brightness. Sakura snorted derisively.

She reached the second floor and looked from right to left. Still no sign of life. She was about to walk down the hall to the right, where the studio was, when she saw an open door on the left. Naturally, it piqued her curiosity, so she stopped walking and scanned the hall. There she saw the two people she least expected to see together in the Uchiha mansion.

Hyuuga Neji and his manager, Uchiha Itachi.

Sakura felt her heart race and she dove around a corner. She glanced at the band's former singer and her glance turned into a stare. She blushed as she examined his face curiously, especially his mysterious, cool eyes. His long black hair made him even more handsome.

'_Hell, what is this feeling? Why am I blushing?'_

"Sakura?" a masculine voice from behind her whispered. "What are you doing?"

Sakura squeaked and whirled around, surprised to see the dark-haired guitarist of Crypz. She instantly signaled for Sasuke to keep quiet.

Sasuke spoke in a low tone. "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing!" Sakura whispered.

"I don't believe you." Sasuke said, irritated. He leaned around her, trying to see.

"Wait!" Sakura pleaded. "I don't think you have to see this."

"Yes I do," Sasuke looked at her. "This is my house."

She tried to stop him, but he was too strong for her. She lost her balance, but Sasuke grabbed her by the waist and saved her from an embarrassing fall. While that was fortunate, it also let Neji and Itachi see them.

Sakura blushed and quickly regained her composure. Sasuke shot a murderous glare at Neji, who smirked. His smirk grew after he glanced at the nervous Sakura.

"I see," Neji said. "You're here for your practice?"

Sakura nodded and smiled embarrassedly.

"Were you eavesdropping, dear brother?" Itachi inquired with a false air of amiability.

"No," Sasuke retorted. "Just passing by to fetch our lead singer."

Both men stared at Sakura, especially Neji. She chose to remain silent, her hands behind her back and her eyes boring holes in her shoes.

"Well," Neji said, presumably pausing to look at his watch. "I guess we have to go, time for the press conference."

"Yes, you're right," Itachi sighed. "Pardon us but we have to go now, Haruno-san."

Itachi went down the staircase, leaving Neji behind. Sakura looked up and saw Neji watching her. She had an odd feeling that Sasuke was watching her from his location beside her.

"Sakura." Neji approached Sakura with the smirk still on his face. He held both her hands with his. "Thank you for that wonderful lunch."

Sakura was gazing into his eyes now. A small blush appeared on her cheeks when she realized he was holding her hands.

"No problem," Sakura managed to mumble.

Neji finally walked out, leaving her and Sasuke alone. She risked a glance at him, although she was still blushing. He was gone. Sakura saw him walking away.

"W-Wait up!" She ran after him, clutching Hinata's envelope.

Finally, Sakura caught up and grabbed his sleeve. Both stopped. Sasuke was strangely quiet, so Sakura tugged on his arm lightly.

"Are you mad at me?" Sakura asked with caution.

"Imagine that," Sasuke said with sarcastic cheer, "Crypz's new lead singer had lunch with Crypz's former singer!"

"It was just a friendly lunch!" she argued. "The person he was going to meet couldn't come!"

"Damn it!" he exclaimed angrily. "Can't you see what he's trying to do!"

She shook her head rapidly.

He grabbed her shoulders and held her gaze. "He's using you."

Sakura felt hurt and offended by his statement. She removed his hands from her shoulders and stared at the floor. "I don't believe you," she whispered. "Neji wouldn't do something like that."

"It's possible." Sasuke's voice was solemn. "Especially since he's working with my brother now."

Sakura fell silent. She clenched her fists and her eyes began watering.

"Sakura," he whispered.

"I feel..." She raised her head to glare at him. "I feel like a damn lifeless toy!"

A look of shock passed over Sasuke's face.

"You can't control me forever!" Sakura shouted. "Neither you nor Neji!"

"Sakura," he interrupted. "Let me talk."

"No!" Sakura roared. "You listen! I'm done listening!"

His look of surprise returned. After a pause, he smirked slightly.

The fair-skinned girl crossed her arms, fighting back tears. "I love this band, I feel right at home." Sakura paused to sigh. "But you don't have the right to tell me what I can and cannot do!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I'll do whatever I want... that is, when I'm not with the band and I'm just plain Sakura." She glared at him, although she was forcing her anger down. "But when I'm Haruno Sakura, lead singer of Crypz, I swear I'll keep my distance from any man except you, Naruto and Kakashi!"

"Deal." He nodded curtly.

"What?" Sakura blinked.

"I said," he repeated patronizingly, "It's okay with me."

Her startled expression turned soft and gentle. Then she blushed. "Well, that was easy!" She smiled at him. "Thanks!"

Sasuke nodded again, then smirked. "Forget about everything that just happened and follow me to the studio. I have a surprise."

Sakura wiped her eyes and looked at him. "What is it?"

"Just follow me."_ 'I'm sure you'll love it.'_

Sakura followed Sasuke, heading toward the studio. When they got there, it was dark, but he flipped the light switch. The room flooded with light and she saw her surprise.

Naruto sat behind the drum set, twirling a drumstick. Kakashi was leaning against the wall, writing on something.

"Hi Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled, approaching her with a grin. "We'll finally be able to practice together!"

The pink-haired girl gave him her most befuddled expression.

"Yes," Kakashi chuckled. "Sasuke told me you've been improving faster than he had expected."

Sakura quickly looked at the guitarist, who had an unreadable expression. She felt a mixture of happiness, excitement and disbelief surge through her. Sasuke smirked and sauntered over to his guitar. Naruto was still beside Sakura, staring at her.

She shifted uncomfortably and handed Naruto the envelope. "This is for you," she said. "It has Hinata's outfit designs. I hope everybody likes them because she did her very best."

"Oh." He smiled, pocketing the envelope. "How is Hinata-chan?"

"She's fine," Sakura said, smiling.

"I'll take that," Kakashi said. Naruto sighed and handed him the envelope, which Kakashi opened. "These designs will go to a professional dressmaker. Tell Hinata that she must keep on making new clothes for you, Sakura."

Sakura nodded enthusiastically. "Thanks, she's really doing a fabulous job!"

Kakashi nodded in agreement and chuckled. "Well, Sakura, have you memorized one of our old songs?"

"If it's any of the tracks on the CD that Sasuke gave me, I've memorized it."

"So, what are we waiting for?" The blond drummer exclaimed, "Let's go and make some music!"

"Wait," Kakashi commanded Naruto. "We have one little problem."

"What?" Naruto complained.

"Dobe." Sasuke smirked at the wall. He seemed to have a tendency to avoid eye contact. "We need someone to play the bass."

"Actually," Kakashi chuckled, "We already have someone."

Everybody stared expectantly at him, since he obviously had a solution.

Silence followed. "Well?" Naruto asked impatiently.

Kakashi smiled and cocked his head. "Well what?"

"Who _is_ it!"

"Maa, Naruto, no need to get so anxious."

"Kakashi!"

He sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you.

"Meet the new bass player for Crypz." Kakashi bowed.

Naruto frowned. "Where is he?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes and made no move to introduce some person hidden in the shadows.

Sakura gasped. "You don't mean-"

He shrugged. "Yeah, well." He lifted the bass and played a complex melody. "I used to play when I was in high school."

Everyone looked shocked. Sasuke recovered first and smirked, returning to fiddling with his guitar. Naruto just stood there, dumbstruck.

"You play the bass?" he laughed. "Well, that's a surprise!"

Sakura smiled to herself. She could hardly believe that she was part of a band with such talented individuals in it.

"Okay, now that that's all set!" She walked onstage. "Let's make some music!"

Sasuke chuckled softly and Naruto laughed. The three male band members played some simple warm-ups on their respective instruments. Kakashi announced, "Track four, Sakura." She nodded and held the mike just like Sasuke had told her to.

Naruto held his drumsticks above his head and whacked them together so hard Sakura thought they would snap. He repeated the process another three times before she realized he was counting the beat. Another four whacks and the drumsticks came down to attack the cymbals, and then the rest of the drum set.

Kakashi joined in with the bass. At first, the tune was a simple repeating note, but suddenly it changed and became a flurry of different tones. Before Sakura could distinguish the actual melody, Sasuke's guitar came in.

A single wailing note, followed by an amazing series of chords, hammer-ons, and all sorts of things she couldn't understand came from his guitar. His hands moved so fast she could barely follow, and before she realized what was going on her cue came. She sang.

Sakura's singing was different. It was graceful but somehow fit for a rock band. She was swaying her body gently in time with the music. She would occasionally glance at her fellow band members and one simple phrase would enter her mind. _'I'm not alone, I have friends like them.' _

The pink-haired singer felt comfortable with the tune, even though the lyrics were meant for a guy (namely Neji) to sing. She was not the plain Haruno Sakura, but a soon-to-be-rock star, head banging and singing a rock song. She was the Haruno Sakura most people didn't know and it was finally time for them to.

Sasuke was concentrating more on Sakura than what he was playing, but he was flawless anyway. He felt satisfied at the outcome of the new Sakura. Well, she deserved it; he could tell that she hadn't been neglecting her practice at all. Something seemed different with Sakura's voice, though, as if she needed to clear her throat a bit. Sasuke smirked and shook his head. '_Oh well, I guess she couldn't keep herself from eating dairy.'_

The song ended and Naruto and Kakashi's applause echoed throughout the room. Sasuke approached Sakura and held her hands gently, gazing into her eyes.

"Hn," Sasuke muttered. "You've done a great job."

Sakura blushed and smiled. "You know it's all your fault."

Crypz's drummer snuck up from behind and hugged both Sasuke and Sakura, pushing them together in the process. Then he laughed, "Crypz is reborn!"

"Get off me, baka," Sasuke complained. A small pink blush appeared on his cheeks, since he was really close to Sakura.

Sakura giggled and Naruto released his hug. Sasuke straightened his crumpled blue shirt.

"Well, I guess that's it." Sakura smiled meekly. "I actually have to go home now."

"What? So soon?" Naruto whined like a little kid.

"Let her, Naruto," Kakashi chuckled. "Sakura's already 18 years old and she's a beautiful lady. What if she has a date or something?"

"No!" Sakura yelped defensively. She giggled and added, "It's not that."

"Before you go, Sakura," Sasuke said. "Let's head to the kitchen."

"W-What?" she asked. "Why?"

"I'm getting you ice cream. It's a reward," he sighed.

Her eyes met his, and she smiled, laughing gently. She hadn't laughed like that for a long time; it was too strange: she didn't know cold-hearted Sasuke would actually do that.

"Okay, do you like chocolate ice cream?"

* * *

An hour or so later, Sakura was walking around by _Chez Laire_, once again trying to find a taxi for her ride home. She was wandering aimlessly, her mind somewhere far away. Her gaze landed on the doors of the same restaurant where she and Neji had lunch, but then someone pulled her long pink hair from behind.

"Hi, miss!" A little girl with brown hair said cheerily. She appeared to be about seven years old. Then she gasped, "Wow, you're really pretty!"

Sakura was flattered. "Really? Thanks!" She blushed. "Say, what's your name?"

Before the little girl could answer, a man in black tuxedo appeared at the corner. "Mameha-san! There you are!" he yelled, pointing at the child.

Time seemed to speed up. Mameha screamed, grabbed Sakura's arm and ran. It was clear that the man was after the little girl.

"Please help me!" Mameha pleaded. "That bad man is after me!"

"Why is he after you?" Sakura asked, running with her.

"Not now," Mameha panted. "We need to find a hiding place!"

'_Kami! What have I gotten myself into?'_

. . . to be continued. . .


	15. Chapter fifteen

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**A/N:** Thanks for those who reviewed and let me tell you that I really, really appreciate them! And yeah, Thanks for understanding my late updates. This chapter's got a lot to do with chapter six though.. Please read on.

**B/N:** Why do I always take up this space with apologies? Sorry again, I was sick for a week and thus the chapter was rather delayed. :P

* * *

**Chapter fifteen**

"Wait!" The man in the tuxedo ran after Sakura and Mameha.

The eighteen-year-old singer ran as best she could with a brown-haired girl practically dragging her. Mameha was screaming and laughing, as if she found the fact that she was being chased by a dangerous-looking stranger pretty amusing. That earned her a several strange looks from Sakura and the surrounding pedestrians.

Sakura panicked after noticing the onlookers' stares, because she felt responsible for the incident. She had to move the kid to a safer place. She needed a plan.

The man who was running after them slowed down to take his cell phone out of a pocket and punch in a number. "We have a case here!" he yelled into the phone. "Send backup immediately!"

"Uh oh," Mameha sang. "He's going to be bringing frie-ends."

"We have to find a place to hide before the others come," Sakura instructed curtly. "I have a plan."

Mameha smiled and nodded. "Okay," she replied. "Let's hear it."

"Here goes," Sakura panted. "We have to lose him. Let's go somewhere where there are a lot of people. Stay close to me, okay?"

"There!" Mameha pointed at a large throng of people. "Lots of people!"

Sakura glanced at the group. "Right, let's go!"

The duo ran towards the people, successfully avoiding major collisions. Sakura grabbed Mameha's hand and dove into a small and dark alley. After a moment, the man in the tuxedo ran past them and headed deeper into the crowd. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and her whole body relaxed.

Mameha grinned. "Thank you! That was so much fun!"

"You call that fun?" Sakura asked, catching her breath. "Why is he after you?"

"I dunno." Mameha shrugged and her smile grew, making Sakura not believe her.

"Okay, Mameha-chan," Sakura said. "I'm Sakura."

Mameha looked her from head to toe before giggling. "Sakura-chan! Thanks for saving me!"

"No problem," Sakura sighed. "I feel responsible for this anyway." Mameha smiled and peeked around the corner of the alley. "No sign of him. Let's get ice cream, Sakura-chan!"

"Wait." Sakura held up a hand to stop her. "We have to call your parents first."

Mameha fell silent, and after a pause shook her head. "What's the difference? They won't care if I get lost anyway. They're too busy with their own stuff!" Then the girl drew her knees to her chest and began to sob.

Sakura was shocked. "Why? Don't they make time for you?"

Mameha shook her head and looked at Sakura. "They run a business where lots of famous people work," she sighed. "They don't care about me."

"It's not that," Sakura corrected. "I know they're doing that for your own sake."

Mameha looked at her feet. "No they're not."

Sakura kneeled and patted the girl's head, smiling sadly. Mameha jerked her head up, tears falling from eyes. She hesitated before hugging Sakura. Sakura silently hugged back, tears forming in her own eyes.

_Ten Years Ago_

"Mama? Where's Papa?" Eight-year-old Sakura asked, tugging on her mother's shirt.

Her mother kneeled down and smiled. "I'm sorry, dear," she whispered, tucking a small strand of pink hair behind her ear. "Papa had some business to finish, he'll be gone for a while."

"What about you, Mama?"

"I'll be back home before dinner, Sakura." She smiled and kissed her daughter on the forehead. "I have to go and check on the shop's flowers."

"Why? Will they die?" Sakura asked thoughtfully.

"They will if I don't visit them once in a while," her mother explained with a gentle smile. "Be a good girl, okay?"

Sakura stared at her feet but nodded anyway.

Her mother ruffled her hair and whispered, "You may call up Hinata and Ino and ask them to play with you. Try to have fun, dear."

"Yeah," Sakura whispered. She looked up; her mother was already leaving and all she could see was a figure waving outside the mansion door.

'_Goodbye.'

* * *

_

It was always like that. Sakura's parents loved her and they made sure she knew that. They tried hard to spend time with their daughter. Eventually, a perfect time came. Everything was set and they were all ready for their upcoming family vacation. Every one of them was excitedespecially Sakura. It was the first ever vacation the Haruno family had together. They did not know that it would also be their last.

That was why Sakura knew exactly how Mameha felt. She couldn't just leave the girl like that. Mameha was just a lonely kid.

"Listen, Mameha-chan," Sakura whispered, wiping the tears off the small girls face. "I understand how you feel."

Mameha sniffled. "You do?"

"Believe me." Sakura smiled gently and stood up. "We have to call your parents first so they don't worry about you. Then we'll have some fun."

The small child sniffled again and raised her eyebrows. "F-Fun?"

"Yeah!" Sakura checked her watch. "We'll get some ice cream then we'll do some fun stuff! It's still early anywayOnly noon."

"Okay!" Mameha grinned and reached for something in her dress pocket. "We can use my credit card!"

Sakura shook her head then laughed. "No," she replied. "You keep that, okay? After all, the best things in life are free!"

'No, they're not!' Inner Sakura protested.

'_Oh yes, they are,'_ Sakura retorted with a mental smirk._ 'Wanna bet?'_

Mameha grinned then took another peek around the corner. "Let's call from that telephone booth over there." she pointed and Sakura nodded.

The two made their way cautiously to the telephone booth. Mameha stepped inside and dialed. Somebody answered on the other side but it was not Mameha's parents, just a common secretary.

"Hello, Julie?" Mameha asked.

"Mameha-san!" Julie exclaimed. "Where are you? I'll send transportation for you right away!"

"No!" Mameha hastily added, "I'm with a friend. Please tell Mama and Papa to not worry about me, okay?"

"W-Wait, Mameha-san! They're already worried about you!"

"Whatever," Mameha sighed. "I'm fine, okay? I'm safe."

Julie gasped, "You're a billionaire's only daughter, Mameha-san! You must not be seen wandering around, especially since you're still a kid! Please, please come home."

"I'll call if I want to go home, Julie." Mameha shrugged and hung up.

Sakura waited patiently outside. When Mameha stepped out of the booth, Sakura smiled. After a little while she couldn't help but wonder.

"You know what, Mameha-chan?" Sakura examined the brown-haired kid. "You look awfully familiar."

Mameha blushed and shook her head. "You must be thinking of somebody else!" she giggled. "I'm just a kid!"

"Yeah, maybe you are," Sakura sighed and looked around. "Let's get that ice cream!"

"Hai!" Mameha cheered.

'_I've only eaten ice cream since this morning! Gah! What's happening to me?'

* * *

_

Sakura ate her chocolate ice cream slowly, watching as Mameha finished devouring her ice cream cone. She couldn't help but try and remember where she had seen Mameha's face before, but her thoughts were interrupted when Mameha started laughing about her ice cream.

"Eat up, Sakura-chan!" Mameha giggled, "It's melting! What are you thinking about anyway?"

"Aah!" Sakura jerked, startled. Then she giggled, "Nothing!"

"Must be your boyfriend, huh?" Mameha grinned impishly. "Someone as pretty as you must have someone!"

Sakura couldn't believe that she was talking to a little girl about relationships, but she took care of the situation calmly. "No, I don't even have a love life."

"Oh, I see." Mameha nodded and changed the subject. "What do you do for a living, Sakura-chan?"

"I paint!" Sakura grinned proudly.

"Really?" Mameha asked excitedly. "What do you paint?"

Sakura shook the thought out of her head and sighed. "Oh yeah, I _was_ a painter. Now, I'm the singer of a band."

The small girl looked at her interestedly. "Really?"

"Yeah." Sakura smiled then looked up at the sky. "Just a small group, but with huge dreams. That's what I admire about them."

"What's the band's name?" Mameha inquired.

"Crypz." Sakura replied plainly.

"Crypz?" Mameha blinked, surprised. "Crypz! Y-You're the new lead singer of Crypz!"

Sakura signaled frantically for her to keep silent. "I don't believe it," Mameha whispered to Sakura.

"Well, you better," the teenager laughed. "You must be surprised. I'm not the type, right?"

"I guess you kind of are," Mameha said, examining her. "Y-You're the mysterious girl in Cool Teen Magazine! You're the one who took Neji-san's place!"

"Neji? You know Neji?"

"Yeah, of course I do!" Mameha grinned proudly. "He's awesome!"

"He's super!" Sakura agreed, finishing off her ice cream. "But how do you know him?"

"Uh." Mameha paused and mumbled, "My daddy knows a lot of people in the music industry-" Then she raised her voice back to normal and said, "But enough about that, I can't believe that I'm actually eating ice cream with the next top singer!"

"Oh." The teenager felt herself blush and she replied humbly, "I'm still practicing with the band and I don't know if that upcoming press conference will a good start to my career, though."

"Don't worry." Mameha looked Sakura straight in the eyes and spoke like an older person. "Someone will help you because of your talent."

"I hope so," Sakura sighed. "I really don't want to fail the band, they expect a lot of me."

"Trust me." Mameha had a determined smile on her face.

The pink-haired singer felt strangely comforted. Mameha's words were determined and showed no sign of doubt. She trusted Sakura; it was time for Sakura to trust her in return.

"Thanks." Sakura smiled as she tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear. "Oh, we have to go now."

Mameha stood up to follow Sakura. "Why?"

"We have company," Sakura whispered then signaled for Mameha to keep silent. Several men in tuxedoes were scattered around the plaza. Sakura and Mameha tiptoed out of the plaza without being spotted by sunglass-covered eyes.

* * *

Time passed and the sun began to set. It was a marvelous sight and Sakura wanted Mameha to see it. She took the girl to her favorite beach, which was fortunately far away from the plaza. They sat together with the warm sand touching their bare feet.

"This is fun, Sakura-chan! I love the view out here!" Mameha grinned lazily.

"I know." Sakura sighed contentedly and closed her eyes. "I feel calm whenever I'm in this place. Close your eyes and you'll feel how free you really are."

"I really like you, Sakura-chan!" Mameha grinned, "Why don't you just adopt me?"

"Oh," Sakura giggled. "You don't know how hard life really is because you're still a kid. You're lucky you still have your parents, Mameha. Now, try to relax and close your eyes."

Mameha looked at Sakura and closed her eyes. The wind blew softly and she smiled. She had never felt anything like this. The setting sun warmed her face and made her feel drowsy. The sand tickled her feet and all the negative feelings she'd had melted out of her body. After a while, she opened her eyes and saw an image of her parents in her mind.

"Mama and Papa?" Mameha whispered, looking at her small toes.

Sakura looked at her and smiled. "You want to go home now? I know they're worried about you."

"No, they're not." Mameha's eyes started tearing. "I wish life could be like this forever, Sakura-chan."

Sakura remembered what her mother used to tell her. She smiled and patted Mameha on the head, deciding to pass her knowledge on to the girl. "Just try to understand your parents before it's too late, Mameha-chan. Try to understand that they're doing this for you because they want nothing but the best for you."

Mameha was silent; Sakura could see doubt in her eyes.

"If you want, you can have a heart-to-heart talk with your parents," she suggested.

"Someday, Mameha-chan, when you finally meet your knight in shining armor and you finally have your own kids, you'll understand." Sakura giggled slightly as she quoted her mother.

"Hah," Mameha laughed sarcastically and hugged her knees. "I'm not going to marry because I'm not pretty like you, Sakura-chan."

Sakura chuckled. "Well, if I'm as pretty as you think then why am I still single?"

Everything was silent except for the continuous crashing of the waves until someone shouted from behind the pair.

"Hold it right there!" A man in a tuxedo ran up, held Sakura's hands behind her back, and covered her mouth. She struggled to break free, but he was too strong.

Mameha shrieked, "Keep your filthy hands away from Sakura-chan!" She stood and kicked the guy's leg fiercely.

"Mameha-san!" Another man approached her. "Are you alright? Everything will be fine now."

Mameha shouted at him, "Everything was fine until you came along! I order you to take your filthy hands off my friend!"

"Friend?" A middle-aged man suddenly intruded on the scene. "This is the first time I've ever heard of a hostage being _friends_ with the hostage-taker."

"Daddy!" Mameha gasped. "You've got it all wrong. Sakura's not a bad girl, she's my friend!"

"Mameha!" A lady ran towards her and hugged her. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

"M-Mama?" The young girl's expression changed to shock when her mother hugged her. The look intensified when her mother began crying.

"We were so worried, Mameha!" the lady cried. "Please don't do this again."

"B-But..." Mameha buried her small face in her mother's big hair. "I-I thought you didn't care about me."

"Why would you think of such a thing?" her mother gasped. "We love you, dear."

The small girl relaxed and hugged her mother back. She was crying, and Sakura knew they were tears of happiness. Mameha opened her eyes and looked at the pink-haired girl, who mouthed, _'I told you so.'_

"Gomen, Mama," Mameha sighed and released her hug. "Please let Sakura-chan go. She's not a bad girl, she helped me have fun for once."

"Really?" Her father was surprised, but ordered the man in the tuxedo to let go of Sakura. Sakura coughed at first, but then she smiled at Mameha.

Mameha approached her and hugged her. "Thanks, Sakura-chan. Thank you for everything! You opened my eyes to reality."

"Told ya." Sakura managed to whisper.

"I know, I know," the little girl giggled.

Then they parted. Mameha's mother approached Sakura gracefully and took her hand. "Thank you and we're sorry, Sakura."

"Yes," The old man joined the two and bowed, "Please forgive my rude actions. Thank you so much for helping our daughter. She hasn't been out for a while and she doesn't have very many friends."

"Yeah, don't worry about it." The pink-haired singer gave them a thumbs-up.

The father chuckled. "When she was gone we realized how important our only daughter is to us. We were worried sick, but I guess it taught us a valuable lesson. If you need anything, don't hesitate to give our company a call." He handed her a business card and walked to a limousine that pulled up at that very moment.

'Holy crap!' Inner Sakura shouted. 'He _owns_ this company! Mameha's dad is a billionaire!'

Mameha ran towards Sakura and whispered into her ear, "Arigatou! Don't forget about me, Sakura-chan. Who knows when some helpless kid like me might actually be some help in the future."

"Just as I thought," Sakura winked, "You're no helpless kid."

"Well, maybe I_ am _someone special," Mameha giggled. "But, that's not the reason you're friends with me, right?"

"Of course not." Sakura smiled. "I'll never forget you, Mameha-chan! Whenever I look at you, I remember another someone who's special."

Mameha cocked her head. "Really? Who?"

'_Me.'

* * *

_

The sun rose and illuminated most of Sakura's silent room. Some of the rays reached her closed eyes and irritated her even more. Shesighed and covered her face with her pink fluffy pillow.

'_One more minute.. Damn, why do I feel so heavy today?' _Sakura wondered before falling into dreamland again.

Then, a mysterious figure opened the singer's door and entered silently. The stranger tiptoed towards Sakura (who had no idea there was another person in the room) with dark intentions. They smirked, face hidden by the shadows, and sat down on Sakura's bed with the ultimate weapon in their hands.

"Sakura!" Ino shouted, shaking her friend a bit. "Time to wake up!"

Sakura grunted and didn't move. **'Geez, Ino-pig, just give her one more minute!'** Inner Sakura shrieked.

"The phone's for you," Ino added. "It sounds like a guy. Oh well, I'll just tell this '_Sasuke_' person that you're still fast asleep."

'_Wait, what? Uchiha Sasuke?' _The sleepy girl jerked upright and faced the grinning blonde.

Ino giggled. "Here. He's a bit impatient."

Sakura had almost gotten the phone when Ino blushed and said, "That Sasuke. I wonder... He acts like a real gentleman andthat voice.."

She ignored Ino and snatched the phone. Sakura tried to speak but all she really did was croak. She tried muttering something but there was no sign of her precious voice. Apparently, Crypz' singer had temporarily lost her voice.

She cleared her throat several times and managed to whisper, "H-Hello? Sasuke?"

The guitarist on the other line asked, "Sakura? What happened to your voice?"

Sakura gulped and looked at Ino, who appeared worried about her loss of voice. "It's gone, Sasuke," she whispered, eyes watering. "Gomen-ne."

Sasuke was silent for a while, but he eventually said, "Don't worry about it, it'll return tomorrow."

"But," Sakura paused to clear her throat again, "I won't be able to sing well or practice with the band."

'**You are so fired!'** Inner Sakura cackled.

"It happens all the time. You've improved a lot anyway," Sasuke muttered solemnly. Then he added, even more seriously, "Stop crying... Sakura."

'_What? How did he know?' _Sakura wondered, surprised. She felt her cheeks turn red and sniffled like a little kid again. They were both silent briefly, but Sakura knew she had to end the conversation soon. Ino, who sat beside Sakura with a mischievous grin across her face, was listening to their every word.

"Arigato.." Sakura sniffled and whispered, "Anyway, do I still have to come?"

She heard Sasuke sigh, "Uh-huh, we still have to do something. That's one of the reasons why I called you up. Also, bring your friend today."

"Friend?" Sakura asked. "You mean Hinata?"

"Yes. The girl with silver eyes," he replied. "KTV Corp. loved her designs so we're hiring her. She has to attend today."

"Really?" Sakura asked, her voice cracking. She blushed and gave Ino a thumbs-up. "That's great!"

"Aa," Sasuke replied. "The band will be waiting for you at my house. Come, even though you're hoarse."

"Uh, wait.." Sakura said softly. "What's the other reason?"

"I'll tell you when you arrive." Sakura would've bet money that he was smirking. Then he hung up.

'_I wonder what I'm going to do with this voice.'_ Sakura stood and began heading to Hinata's room tell her the good news.

Ino grabbed her arm before she could leave and asked excitedly, "So, what's great?"

Sakura smiled at her friend. "Hina's got a new job."

"Really? I knew they would like her designs!" Ino giggled. "For a reward, I'm treating us all to ice cream!"

Sakura shook her head rapidly and sighed.

'_Forget about it, Ino!'_

Sakura entered the Uchiha mansion with Hinata in tow. Hinata was having the same first reaction that Sakura didher expression was half dazzled and half amazed when they scaled the marble staircase.

"S-Sakura?" she asked nervously. "Are you sure we're welcome here? I mean, it looks... deserted."

Sakura managed to laugh; her voice was a little better but not fully restored. "It's because they practice in one room. It's not deserted in there, it's filled with music and energy."

"Really?" Hinata cooed, "It must be so much fun, Sakura-chan."

Sakura nodded and continued walking, Hinata following. Finally, they reached the band room. Sakura noted amusedly that Hinata was staring at Naruto, who was playing basic warm-ups on his drums.

"Ah," Kakashi chuckled. "You're here." Sakura nodded and smiled embarrassedly. He added, "I heard what happened. Sasuke was worried about you, you know."

"No, I wasn't," Sasuke interrupted as he entered the room. It seemed obvious to Sakura that he felt embarrassed, but that could've just been wishful thinking on her part. He shot a murderous glare at Kakashi, who just laughed it off.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed, running towards Sakura. "I was worried sick about you!"

Sasuke added to Kakashi, "You apparently mixed it up. _He_ was worried sick."

"Whatever you say, Sasuke." Kakashi grinned. "Whatever you say."

Naruto's gaze fell on Hinata, who was standing right behind Sakura. "Hinata-chan!" He approached her with a smile. "How are you? Congratulations! We all loved your designs!"

Hinata blushed for reasons unknown to Sakura and stammered, "T-Thanks.. They're for Sakura-chan anyway."

Naruto fell silent, which was quite unlike him. It was as if he was in a trance. He just kept staring into Hinata's pure eyes.

"N-Naruto?" Hinata asked, still blushing. She felt like she was going to faint, just like what happened in the bathroom.

He stayed silent, but Kakashi walked over and poked him in the head.

"Hey!" Naruto yelped, "What 'cha do that for?"

Kakashi sighed, "That's a bad way to treat a lady. Especially the 'staring-longer-than-two-minutes' part, that's rude."

Naruto scratched his head and grinned. "Ne? Gomen, Hinata! It's just that there's something about your eyes.."

She looked at him questioningly.

"Yes there is," Sakura agreed. "They're unique."

Naruto nodded and Sasuke interrupted the scene to have Hinata sign a document saying that she will design Sakura's clothes starting now, and be paid for her services. Hinata signed confidently. She was finally going to achieve her dreams and be able to help Sakura with any future problems at the same time.

Then Sasuke showed Hinata a trunk and told her to open it. She did and gasped. Sakura couldn't believe what she saw.

Hinata touched the fabrics and smiled. "These- These are my designs." She looked at Sakura, who was also smiling.

"They're wonderful." Hinata mumbled, awestruck.

"Of course they are!" Naruto pointed out happily, "They're _your_ designs."

Hinata stood up and bowed to the band. "Arigato Gozaimasu."

"No problem, you have talent anyway... just like your friend." Sasuke said, muttering the last part.

"Yosh!" Naruto shouted like a little kid. "Follow me, Hinata!" He grabbed her pale wrist and headed towards the door.

"W-Where are we going?" Hinata asked, surprised.

"To Crypz' professional dressmaker!" Naruto said enthusiastically. "We have to choose the perfect materials for Sakura-chan! That's one of your jobs as her designer."

"I-I start working right away?"

"Yup," he nodded, "And I'm your guide. Uzumaki Naruto, at your service."

Hinata smiled and the two decided that they would return before lunch, then left. That left Sakura alone with Crypz's bass player and guitarist.

"Alright," Kakashi clapped twice to get Sasuke's and Sakura's attention, "So we'll move the band rehearsal until tomorrow, for now. No doubt, you're still wondering why we told you to come here, Sakura?"

She nodded.

"We have to fix your image." Kakashi grinned. "You're not exactly the rock singer type of girl, as far as appearances go."

"Yeah," Sakura laughed. "I met a friend yesterday and guess what? She didn't believe that I'm a singer in a rock band! Well, she did after a while, but..."

Sasuke smirked. "You're not the type and we're going to fix that."

Sakura giggled and joked, "What are you going to do? Bring me to an exclusive parlor and do one of those 'ultimate makeover' things on me?"

Sasuke's smirk grew and Kakashi chuckled. Combined, those two otherwise insignificant acts became omens of ultimate doom and suffering.

"That could be arranged." Kakashi grinned and reached in his pocket to get his cell phone.

The starlet's smile turned into a frown and she gulped nervously.

'_Uh oh.'_

… _to be continued…

* * *

_

**A/N: **Okay, so I apologize for the lesser Neji/Saku moments but I added some Hinata/Naru so I think it's fair. Hehe. Anyway, I have another story coming up! What? I did promise that I would finish this up before starting another story…but I'm only human and I can't help it! And yeah, I don't get tired of reviews so please keep em' coming. XD

**Votes:**

**Neji with Sakura**: 22 ( I don't blame Neji fans to hate me. I haven't been putting more Neji/Saku moments.. for now. Please spare with me for a while.)

**Sasuke with Sakura:** 48


	16. Chapter sixteen

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto

**A/N:** I've already thought of two different endings. So far, I've already completed the Sasuke ending while I'm still half-through the Neji ending. Not much to report. TT

(**Warning:** SUPER long chapter ahead. Proceed at your own risk. )

**B/N:** I'm working on another fanart for this, although I don't know when it'll be done. Happy reading!

* * *

**Chapter sixteen**

_Friday, 8:00 am_

It took Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Sasuke more than an hour to persuade Crypz's leading band singer to have her image fixed. Sakura wasn't particularly pleased with the idea, but she knew that it'd be best for the band and maybe even for herself. She took a long time to think about it but surprised everybody and agreed to come, for Crypz's sake.

'_Am I really doing it for the band? Or... Is it something else?' _she wondered. Her gaze immediately met that of Crypz's guitarist. She shook the thought out of her head and tried not to make eye contact with him. His eyes were always unreadable, and Sakura couldn't help but be nervous whenever he was around.

Why?

Unfortunately, Sakura couldn't answer that question, which freaked her out.

She, Sasuke, and Kakashi hopped into the Uchiha's convertible. Sasuke moved to the drivers seat as Kakashi went into the back, as if by some silent agreement. However, that left Sakura with only one seat: the passenger seat next to Sasuke. She sat without complaint.

"Yo, Sakura," Kakashi said amiably, looking at her with half-lidded eyes. "Don't be nervous, it's only a slight image change."

She jerked in surprise, then quickly glanced back at him. "Hai, I-I was just thinking of something."

Sasuke looked over at her and asked, "Are you feeling okay?"

Sakura nodded. "Don't worry, I only have a sore throat. I'm already feeling better."

"Are you sure?" Kakashi asked.

"Of course... Of course I am."

Sasuke started the engine and began driving. He was mainly focusing on the road, but he couldn't keep from looking at Sakura from the corner of his eye. He was a bit worried about her, and not about her throat.

It was something else.

A few minutes passed with silence. Kakashi was busy reading his perverted book, and Sasuke was busy driving. Sakura watched other cars from her window, bored. She turned on the radio and was surprised to hear a familiar voice. Sasuke stared at the radio.

"Hm?" she said. "I've never heard this song. It's pretty good!"

Sasuke frowned and Kakashi grinned. "Well, Itachi sure is fast. Neji's already released his first single."

'_Neji? Damn. It couldn't be,'_ Sakura thought worriedly.

"No doubt about it," Sasuke answered. "It's his. With his experience and Itachi's influence, they can do anything practically overnight."

"Agreed." Kakashi nodded and continued with his Icha Icha Paradise.

Sakura felt a pang of guilt. "Gomen," she whispered sadly.

They fell silent again. After a pause, Sasuke smirked and turned off the radio.

"Actually, I can see it all now." He paused before continuing, "Our CD launches and concerts will be the talk of the town. Our band pictures will be pasted all over Tokyo's billboards. As the only girl, you'll also be given commercials and advertisements to endorse products."

Sakura smiled, and when Kakashi added, "All the guys will be worshipping you and making fan clubs," she laughed.

Sasuke nodded and said softly, "Most importantly, you'll help Crypz restore its fame. Neji will be nothing compared to us."

Sakura smiled again and thanked the two for cheering her up, but she still felt guilty. Regardless, Neji _was_ an excellent singer. She had tried her best to make her singing as good as the professionals', even though music wasn't her expertise. She would still have to double her perseverance to reach his level, though.

Sakura was determined to reach it.

Hyuuga Neji. She never thought she'd agree with Sasuke, but he was right. Crypz's former singer was going to be a big threat to their goals. Either Crypz or Neji would be able to reach the top. It couldn't be both.

Yet Sakura didn't think of Neji as competition, but as a friend. He acted mysterious, like Sasuke, but he seemed happy when she had lunch with him. That talk they had strengthened their bond. She remembered his expression when he spoke of love.

'_Wait... Is Neji... He's in love!'_

In a brief bout of paranoia, she wondered what would happen if Sasuke was reading her mind. There would be chaos. Well, at least it wouldn't be a long sermon like Ino always gave when she was mad. Sakura shook the thoughts of Neji out of her head and tried to start a conversation.

"Ne, Kakashi?" Sakura asked timidly, "Where exactly are we going anyway?"

Kakashi grinned. "You'll find out soon. You're going to meet a very special friend of mine."

"Who is it?"

He winked. "Patience, Sakura."

Sakura sighed. "What do you think the worst thing they would do to me is?"

"Plastic surgery," Sasuke offered.

Sakura laughed nervously, then fell silent. What if he was telling the truth? She shuddered. She didn't want to let anybody change her appearance; she was already happy with it. Her long bubblegum-pink hair was her trademark, courtesy of her mother. Her eye color was unique too, although that was from her father. She wondered if she was _that_ ugly.

Sakura gulped. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the things that were occupying her mind.

Which were surgeons, needles, and blood.

* * *

Sasuke parked his car near a tall building. Sakura exited the car, accompanied by the two handsome men. Because they were so gorgeous, many of the people in and around the building stared at the trio. Girls would whisper as the band members passed them in hallway. Some blushed and others giggled.

Most of them stared at Uchiha Sasuke.

However, Sasuke couldn't seem to care less. He never stopped walking, Sakura beside him and Kakashi behind the pair. Kakashi would occasionally smile at his fans, but Sasuke would hardly glance at them. Thus, one of his glances could make a big fan of his die of happiness.

Sakura approached him cautiously and asked, "Hey, Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked at her.

She laughed nervously for a second time. "You were only joking about the plastic surgery thing, right?"

He shook his head and muttered, "Nope."

Sakura paused and gulped. She then walked towards the other band member.

"Ne, Kakashi?"

He looked at her from the corner of his right eye. "Hn? What is it?"

Sakura whispered, "Are you sure about this?"

"About what?"

"About this, you know... _thing_?"

Kakashi smiled knowingly. "Are you afraid of something, Sakura?"

"N-No! Of course not!" she lied, but she was sure Kakashi knew she didn't say the truth.

"Okay then."

Sakura blushed then whispered, "Wait." She glanced at Sasuke to make sure he wasn't listening before she continued. "Okay, I have this thing about needles and blood."

Kakashi's smile turned into a grin. "You're afraid of them, aren't you?"

She shook her head slightly. "Not really," she whispered. "But Sasuke told me something about this... I might get plastic surgery."

He chuckled. "He's just messing with ya. That's an exaggeration."

Sakura felt her muscles relax. She laughed, "I knew he was only joking."

Kakashi answered plainly, "An Uchiha seldom jokes." He then smiled. "Don't worry, I don't think my friend will do that to you."

"But your 'friend' doesn't really do surgery, right?"

"If necessary," he smirked, "Yes."

Sakura felt nervous again. When the three of them finally reached the end of the hallway and walked inside the elevator, Kakashi pulled out his Icha Icha Paradise and began reading. Sasuke and Sakura stood silently in different corners.

She kept catching herself staring at Sasuke from the corner of her eye. Her hands were sweating. She thought that this beauty thing would be fun, just like what Ino and Hinata always did to her, but she was doubting that now. It felt much more important.

"What's the matter?" he asked, staring at the wall opposite him and to her right.

"H-Huh?" Sakura was caught being lost in her own thoughts once again. She hastily replied, "Nothing."

"Something's bothering you," he stated, his tone one of somebody who completely believes what they are saying.

"Nothing," Sakura protested. "...I just have a question for you. Don't find it offensive or anything."

"What?"

She looked at him and smiled, blushing slightly. "You won't let them hurt me, right?"

Sasuke nodded. "I'll protect you, Sakura." He turned his head and looked at her face-to-face. "I promised you that when you signed your contract, remember?"

She couldn't help but blush; there was no way she could forget it. Only she had heard him say that. It gave her a warm fuzzy feeling, even now. Sakura smiled. "I remember. I'm just making sure you did."

He smirked. "Of course."

She couldn't take the smile off her face. "Ne? Arigato, Sasuke."

Sasuke nodded and the elevator door opened. He proceeded to go out, followed by Kakashi. Sakura trailed behind the two, feeling relieved by Sasuke's words (even though he also told her about the surgery). She didn't care about that anymore; she knew that Sasuke would always be there for her.

After a minute or so, they stopped outside a door. There were some people outside of it, but Sasuke ignored them and entered the room with Sakura and Kakashi. A woman who appeared to be in her early twenties smiled, got out from behind her desk, and bowed at the three.

"Good morning, Sasuke-san," she said. Then she turned to Kakashi and added, "Same to you, Kakashi-san."

He smiled, but Sasuke just nodded curtly and said, "We need an appointment with Mitarashi Anko."

The girl immediately nodded and grabbed the phone. Sakura couldn't believe her ears--maybe she was already hearing things. It couldn't be _her_, it must be another person.

'_THE famous Mitarashi Anko! It's not possible.'

* * *

_

Sakura gasped when she saw the famous beauty specialist. Sure, she had already seen her face on magazines with tips about solving appearance-related problems, but Sakura never imagined that_ the _Anko would be doing her makeover.

Anko had short, shiny black hair and a great complexion. She sat patiently at her desk with her hands placed behind her back. It was obvious to Sakura that she was surprised about her visitors, but she was grinning anyway. The pink-haired singer could tell that Anko was a well-breed, sophisticated woman.

"Sasuke, Kakashi," the short-haired woman said amiably. "Nice to see you two again."

Sasuke nodded and Kakashi walked towards her. "Hey Anko," he grinned, "It's been ages since we've last seen you, and you still haven't changed a bit."

Strangely, Anko looked uncomfortable about him being even remotely close to her. She fidgeted, hiding something behind her back. Kakashi reached out, lighting-quick, and snatched the mysterious thing away from her.

"Kakashi, you baka!" Anko screamed. "That's mine!"

He chuckled as he looked at the half-eaten box of chocolates. "You really haven't changed, huh? You should keep away from this kind of stuff. It'll make you fat."

Anko grit her teeth. "I'm aware of that, Kakashi! I _am_ a beauty specialist." She sarcastically added, "It's obviously _much_ better than that perverted book of yours."

"Okay then, I'll just have to throw this delectable chocolate away."

"Just you try," Anko replied with a murderous glare. "I'll get that book of yours and make you eat it."

Sakura sighed. _'Oh well, so much for her being a sophisticated woman.'_

As if reading her thoughts, Sasuke muttered, "They're acting like children."

"How about a date, Anko?" Kakashi asked, holding the chocolate behind his back.

Anko immediately grabbed the chocolate from behind Kakashi's back. She then stuck her tongue at Kakashi and laughed sarcastically, "After twenty more years."

He grinned. "Okay, it's a date. I'll meet you up at eight after twenty years."

Sasuke's patience had reached its limit, so he interrupted in his usual stoic manner. "Anko," he said, "I want you to meet Haruno Sakura, Crypz's new lead singer."

Anko's gaze fell on the pink-haired girl. "Ano, Sakura. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Anko-san." Sakura smiled sweetly.

Kakashi walked toward them with a grin. "She needs a makeover, Anko. Make her a rock star."

Anko laughed, "Just as I thought. Of course, I'll take the job. She needs a makeover badly if she's going to sing for Crypz--she looks too normal. You need more of a head-banging-rock-singer."

Sasuke smirked, causing Sakura to shoot him an annoyed glare.

Anko looked at her and smiled. "Ne, don't be offended. In the music world you have to look your part."

Sakura nodded. "Yes, I understand."

"Good."

The conversation was interrupted again when Kakashi's cell phone went off. He excused himself from the room, leaving Anko to think of a trademark for Sakura. According to her, "Every star needs one so they'll always be remembered". After a pause, the specialist turned to Sasuke.

"What do you think should be Sakura's trademark?" Anko inquired. "Before anything else, we need your approval."

Sakura glanced at him as he said, "I guess you shouldn't change the color of her hair, it's quite rare. And…"

"And?" Anko asked interestedly. Sakura watched him, wondering what he was going to say.

"Her eyes." Sasuke muttered, "They're...uh... pretty."

'**Hell yeah!'** Inner Sakura cheered.

Anko nodded. "Yes, they're not like any other green eyes I've seen. You have absolutely gorgeous eyes, Sakura. They look soft and kind, not to mention I've never seen that color before."

Sasuke smirked and looked at Sakura. She was smiling and blushing at the same time. She just couldn't help herself, Sasuke liked her eyes the best. It probably wasn't his intention to flatter her, but she was thrilled.

"Yo." Kakashi entered the room, scratching his head. "Gomen, but I can't stay."

"Why?" Sasuke asked. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing bad, hopefully. Ano, some company called me up. They want an audience with me immediately."

"What's it about?" Sakura asked, curious.

"Eh, I'll find out soon." Kakashi shrugged. "I have to go now. Bye, everybody."

She waved at him. "Bye then."

Before Kakashi completely left, he winked at Sasuke and said, "Take care of Sakura, Sasuke."

The blue-haired guitarist blinked in surprise, then shot him a icy glare. "Go. Now."

Kakashi walked away, chuckling.

The door shut behind him and Anko clapped her hands to get their attention. "Okay, Sakura. Just go into the room over there while I call up my staff." She pointed at a previously unnoticed door. "Unfortunately, Sasuke, you can't come with her. Wait outside, alright?"

Before Sasuke could protest, Sakura walked towards him with a comforting smile. "Go, don't worry about me. I'll be okay. Plus, I'm willing to do this for the band."

He looked taken aback by her statement. A real (albeit small) smile flashed across his face for a millisecond, then he nodded and said, "Fine. I'll buy us lunch."

Sakura smiled back and entered the room, leaving Sasuke and Anko in the office. Anko pulled out her phone, taking a bite of a half-eaten chocolate.

"Hey," she barked into her phone. "Send the alpha group over here immediately. We have a very important patient."

She looked at Sasuke and grinned.

"No, not the surgeon." Anko whispered, "We won't be needing him this time."

'_This is going to be a piece of cake,'_ she added silently.

* * *

_Meanwhile. . ._

Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata were busy looking through piles of different fabrics. Both of them were silent, and Naruto was already acting bored. Hinata wasn't; she enjoyed doing almost anything with Naruto, even chores. She would constantly blush whenever she looked at him from the corners of her eyes.

Since the first time Hinata saw Naruto inside the girls' restroom, she couldn't take her mind off him. The way he carried her and took care of her was sincere, and Hinata had never experienced that before. As an added bonus, his cute baby blue eyes never failed to make her smile.

"_Maybe you can catch some hunky showbiz guy for yourself, Hina!" Sakura joked. "Hm? Maybe you'll finally find a good boyfriend. . ."_

She blushed as she remembered the time when Sakura told her that. If Hinata hadn't agreed to Sakura's offer, she might have stayed in her boring, worthless cooking career and never discovered her passion for designing. In addition, she never would have met Naruto.

Thus, she had Sakura to thank for everything. Hinata promised to support her in her career and to be right beside her when she needed a friend. Hinata would also help Sakura find the right man, in her own way. Suddenly, Naruto called her name and her thoughts disappeared.

"Ne, Hinata-chan?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

She looked at him and blushed, nodding silently.

Naruto checked his watch and shifted through a pile of different leathers. "Alright. We'd better hurry up, it's almost lunchtime. Would Sakura-chan like this brand?"

Hinata looked at the cloth that he showed her. She shyly shook her head and said, "Ano. . . Sakura-chan doesn't really like heavy materials like that. She wants something she can be comfortable in, s-something that will let her move easily."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully, picked out a thinner fabric from the pile, and asked Hinata, "How 'bout this one?"

She reached out and felt the fabric, smiling warmly. Then she nodded. "This is good. I'm sure Sakura-chan would like it very much, but..." she scanned the piles again, "Only if it's in a different color, like pink, black, or red."

Naruto was amazed. It was as if he was talking to Sakura herself; Hinata knew everything about her. He always found whatever Hinata had to say interesting; it really was a shame that she only spoke whenever absolutely necessary. He noticed that she was very pale, but cute too.

Naruto whistled. "You're good, Hinata-chan," he said, grinning.

She just smiled shyly at him.

"So," he said. "How long have you and Sakura been friends?"

Hinata stammered, "S-Since we were still kids."

The blond nodded. "Hm? That's a pretty long time. So you were there when that Gaara guy left her, right?"

She jerked her head up in surprise, then nodded sadly. "Y-Yes, and believe me, it's been a terrible experience. I can tell. It's too bad that I-I can't really understand how she feels..."_ '...I've never been in love.'_

Naruto fell silent, moving closer to his companion in his search for cloth. It took him a while to realize what Hinata really meant.

Out of the blue, he asked, "Do you have a boyfriend, Hinata-chan?" His tone was that of a little kid.

She jerked, surprised by his question. She blushed, but when she saw Naruto she realized that he wasn't taking his question seriously. She smiled sadly and shook her head.

Naruto's cell phone rang. Hastily, he picked it up, checked caller ID, and said into the phone, "Whadd'ya want, Sasuke-teme?"

Hinata signaled to him that she was going over to the other side to browse for more materials.

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto grumbled. "We'll be right over there at Anko's place after lunch." He then hung up the phone.

Naruto didn't really understand why, but he practically ran towards Hinata. Being the naturally happy person that he was, he felt obliged to make the shy girl happy for a while. He stopped beside her and looked down at her with a grin across his face.

Hinata looked up, startled, and asked, "N-Naruto?"

"After this, would you like to have lunch with me?" he blurted out with a grin. "Just the two of us."

Hinata's silvery eyes widened, her heart raced, and her cheeks turned several shades darker. She smiled warmly and looked into Naruto's deep blue eyes. She felt stupid, but she felt wonderful at the same time.

'_Naruto...'

* * *

_

Every single girl that passed by the door to Anko's office could not help but stare at Crypz's handsome guitarist. It was almost lunchtime, so there weren't too many people around, which Sasuke considered lucky. He was busy waiting for Sakura, he didn't have the patience to deal with fan girls.

He felt irritated about not being able to be there, even though he apparently wasn't needed. Sasuke would repeatedly stand up, walk around, then after a while sit back down. There was a small television for those who were bored, but he didn't care to even glance at it.

'_Should I have left her there alone?'_ Sasuke asked himself. He was supposed to buy lunch for the both of them, but he was becoming worried. What if something bad happened? He sighed as he tried to forget all his snippets of paranoia. What if Anko did something to Sakura's voice?

Then he stood up. He was about to knock on the door when he heard Sakura's voice.

"You're going to stick that _where_!" Sakura shrieked.

'_Dammit, what the hell is happening!'_ Sasuke was officially panicking. He knew that he made a mistake in telling her about the plastic surgery, but he couldn't help it.

"Eh?" Sakura yelped, "W-Wait!"

Sasuke clenched his fists and sighed. "That does it," he muttered. "I'm going to check on them."

Before he could open the door, he heard Sakura's laughter. It was natural and he couldn't sense any fear in it.

She giggled, "S-Stop! I-I'm ticklish!"

Sasuke smirked as relief and happiness flowed through him. Why happiness? He couldn't explain, but whenever he saw Sakura smile or laugh he felt... happier. Not that anybody else would _ever_ know that. But, Crypz did seem to help her on her way to recovery. He then remembered Sakura's audition. She was nervous, but more than that her expression was constantly sad. He was glad that it had been replaced with a natural smile.

Sasuke thought,_ 'I'm going to kill whoever snatches that smile away.'_

He blinked, wondering where _that _came from. He walked towards the waiting area and sat, thinking deeply. The old television announced the name of its next interviewee, catching his attention. It was some sort of trendy talk show, and the one being interviewed was the last person he would've expected.

Hyuuga Neji.

Sasuke leaned closer to the television, just enough to see Neji's face in the small screen.

"_We're back!" The middle-aged hostess smiled broadly. "With, of course, our very special guest... Hyuuga Neji-san!"_

_His fans in the audience screamed and called out his name. Neji waved a hand slightly and smirked. His eyes spoke more than any action._

"_So, how's your new career now, Neji-san?" the lady asked overenthusiastically._

_Neji responded in a serious tone, "It's going great, as expected. My first singles have already been launched, and I'm still doing some modeling work for extra cash."_

_The audience laughed, but he was not joking at all. The hostess continued, "Yes, and we've just been informed that your CD, when it is released, is expected to reach platinum, right?"_

_He nodded._

"_Most of your songs are love songs, Neji-san." She smiled knowingly. "Are they dedicated to someone?"_

_Neji smirked and nodded curtly, much to the viewers' surprise. "Yes, they are dedicated to someone very special to me."_

_The crowd went "Awww" for a moment, then she asked, "Would you mind telling us who the lucky girl is?"_

_He shook his head. "Not yet, she's still starting her career and any intrigues might cause problems."_

_The hostess winked. "Hm? You're a very understanding boyfriend, Neji-san."_

_Neji smirked. "Not really."_

The topic shifted and caught Sasuke's attention. As expected, it was an issue about Crypz.

"_Let's move on to another matter, shall we?" The lady smiled as Neji nodded. "What are your comments on the rumors about the new starlet who's supposed to replace you as Crypz's lead singer?"_

_Neji fell silent for a moment, looking thoughtful._

"_Actually, I've already met her," he stated simply._

The crowd murmured collectively and Sasuke jerked. What if Neji exposed Sakura to the world? Damn. This was not good; it was too soon for everybody to know about her.

"_Really?" the hostess asked with presumably feigned interest. "What do you think of her?"_

_Neji smirked. "She's really good and I expect great things from her. She deserves to be Crypz's leading singer._

"_Sumimasen, but I can't tell you anymore. She's been a great friend to me and-"_

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. He turned the television off. Just the sight of Crypz's former singer could make him angry, simply because he still couldn't understand why Neji left the band. Sasuke clenched his fists icily and glared at the blank television set.

Minutes passed. He stood up and called Kakashi to inform him that they'll be meeting in Anko's office after lunch.

As Sasuke was about to leave the building (he still had to buy Sakura and himself their lunch), he realized that he was angry about something else. Neji was too close to Sakura.

It irritated him.

A bored blond was walking back and forth outside Anko's office, waiting for Uchiha Sasuke. Hinata, tired, sat in the corner. However, Kakashi busied himself with the newest volume of his perverted books. Oddly enough, there weren't many people outside Anko's office. Maybe she had cancelled all her appointments just for Crypz.

Naruto was the most annoyed out of the three, for he had nothing to do but wait for Sakura and Sasuke. He hated waiting--he wasn't used to it.

"Sasuke-teme!" Naruto suddenly growled. "You were the one who told us that we shouldn't be late! But what the hell are you doing now?"

"Oi, Naruto." Kakashi glanced up at him from his book. "Patience."

Naruto glared at the silver-haired bass player. Then, his glare softened and he said, "I guess you've seen the interview too, huh?" Naruto sighed and took a seat beside Hinata.

Kakashi closed his book and nodded. "Yeah, Neji is fast. _Too_ fast, actually." He looked at Naruto with a serious expression. "Not exactly the best thing for Crypz."

"If Sasuke-teme had seen that, I bet he'd be pretty upset."

Kakashi nodded and asked, "No doubt about that. Where did you see the interview, anyway?"

Hinata suddenly blushed, which went completely unnoticed by the thickheaded Naruto. He grinned. "We were having lunch when we saw it. How about you? I never knew where you went to."

"Eh, some company called me up for business." Kakashi added lazily, "I almost forgot about that."

"Was it about Crypz?" Hinata asked softly.

Kakashi nodded. Naruto jumped up and yelled, "WHAAT? It's about the band and you 'almost forgot' to tell us!"

"Ano," Kakashi scratched his head, "I intended to tell you the news tomorrow."

Before Naruto could react, Anko's clinic door opened and out she came. She removed her gloves and walked towards the members of Crypz.

"Ah, long time no see, Naruto." Anko grinned.

Naruto nodded then looked at Hinata. "Yeah. Oh, I want you to meet Hyuuga Hinata. Hinata, this is Anko."

The shy girl stood up and bowed. "Nice to meet you, Anko-san."

Anko laughed. "I never imagined the day that Naruto would be introducing his _girlfriend_ to me!"

Kakashi grinned and walked towards the three. Hinata's face was red as an apple and so was Naruto's. He shook his head rapidly and practically yelped, "No! She's not my girlfriend! She's Sakura's best friend!"

"Ah, Gomen-na," Anko apologized. "So, you all want to see Sakura now, huh?"

The trio nodded, wondering what happened to Crypz's lead singer.

"Ne, Sakura!" Anko called. She then grinned. "Your friends are here. Surprise them!"

Sakura suddenly appeared in the doorway to Anko's clinic, smiling. She was wearing one of Hinata's outfits, and it fit her delicate figure well. Her long hair that once reached her waist was layered, although only an inch or two shorter. As per Sasuke's request, her pink hair color was not changed, but Anko added some red streaks in it just to fit the new look.

Sakura's face didn't change much, but Anko had applied a light make-up job. Sakura's lips were covered with strawberry lip balm that made it "moist and kissable", according to Anko and the lip balm tube. She also wore some accessories, like a silver ring, necklace, and earrings.

She walked towards the three, her long red jacket swaying with her every move. Sakura laughed at them. "Your expressions are hilarious! You guys look like you've all seen a ghost!"

Kakashi recovered first, smiling. Naruto was speechless, for once.

Hinata gasped, "You look wonderful, Sakura-chan."

"Arigato, Hina." Sakura blushed then added, "I actually had fun, even though some stuff, like getting my ears pierced, hurt. Arigato, Anko."

Anko nodded and grinned. "I guess I really did do a good job. Of course, it's only temporary. Kakashi, call me whenever Sakura has a photo shoot or anything like that."

"Aa." Kakashi nodded.

Sakura glanced around. "Oh yeah, where's Sasuke? I'm getting hungry."

Speak of the devil, Sasuke was walking down the corridor and towards the group. He was carrying two bags and talking on his cell phone. After he reached them and hung up his phone, Sasuke looked up.

He stared at Sakura for almost a full minute. Silence filled the air; she smiled at him.

"Sasuke," she whispered, a blush heating her cheeks. "What do you think?"

Before Sasuke could mutter something stupid, Naruto ran towards him and shouted, "Sasuke-teme! You're late!"

Even with Naruto's constant whining and blabbering, Sasuke could not take his eyes off_ her. _Sakura continued blushing intensely, but she still smiled at him. Naruto realized Sasuke's situation, grinned, and moved to whisper something in Sasuke's ear.

"Ne, Sasuke-teme," he murmured mischievously. "Sakura's looking good, isn't she?"

Sasuke jerked, surprised, and stopped staring at her. He shot Naruto a deadly glare. "Dobe," he said, then walked towards the pink-haired girl.

Sakura asked once again, "What do you think?"

"Aa." Sasuke nodded curtly. He hated admitting feelings of any sort in front of other people.

Sakura was disappointed at his reaction. She sighed; she was hoping for something better than a simple "Aa". She shook her head and grinned mentally, it was foolish of her to wish for something like that. It would be very uncharacteristic of Sasuke to express emotions anyway.

Or maybe he thought she didn't look good enough?

Sakura brushed a lock of pink hair behind her ear and bit her lip._ 'Maybe that's the real reason.'

* * *

_

The band members (and Hinata) thanked Anko for her help. After Sasuke and Sakura ate their lunch, he volunteered to drive Sakura and Hinata back to their house in his convertible. Kakashi and Naruto agreed and decided to head back to the Uchiha mansion to plan for the upcoming press conference. Nobody told Sakura about Neji's interview.

She, Hinata, and Sasuke walked towards his convertible, which was parked outside the building. Sasuke and Sakura walked silently next to each other, Hinata following from a slight distance. A passing group of teenage girls stared and began giggling.

"Hey, isn't that Uchiha Sasuke?" one whispered. "The lead guitarist of Crypz? Kami, he's gorgeous, ne?"

Another added, "He's so handsome in person! But wait, who's that girl beside him?"

The first girl guessed sadly, "She's really pretty too, and they look good together. She must be his girl."

Even though Sakura tried to ignore them she couldn't help but overhear their conversation. She felt her cheeks redden slightly and she glanced at Sasuke. "Um, Sasuke," she whispered. He looked at her stonily. "Those girls over there think I'm your girlfriend or something."

He merely smirked and said in a low tone, "Let them think whatever they want to."

Sakura sighed and nodded in agreement.

They finally reached Sasuke's convertible. He opened the back door and motioned for Hinata to get in first; she obliged and gently climbed in. Before Sakura could join Hinata, Sasuke grabbed her arm. She looked at him confusedly.

"I just want to say," Sasuke began. He was staring off to the side, his face turned away. Sakura wondered if he was blushing, it almost looked like it. "You look beautiful, Sakura."

'**He just--Kami! Hell yeah!'** Inner Sakura whooped, punching the air happily.

Sakura burst into a huge grin, her heart racing. He looked up and met her eyes. She couldn't keep herself from stammering when she replied.

_"A-Arigato, Sasuke."_

. . .to be continued. . .

* * *

**A/N:** It's rushed! Gomen-nasai! Again, I just want to thank Skye for editing this very long chapter and I want to say sorry at the same time. I made Sasuke a little bit OOC here. (cries) Oh well, More Naru/Hina moments! (Runs away from Neji fans) Yeah, I'm sorry for that too, Just a few more chapters. Thank you all for reading.

**Votes:**

**Neji/Sakura: 24**

**Sasuke/Sakura: 57**


	17. Chapter seventeen

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto

**A/N:** Lame excuses later. Sorry for the late update! Here's chapter seventeen, Enjoy!

**B/N:** There's a line in here that makes me think of Aladdin. Brownie points to whoever guesses it.

* * *

**Chapter seventeen**

Crypz's singer sat patiently in the Uchiha limousine. She watched from the back seat window as the car passed the mansion's gates. Sakura could see a faint reflection of herself in the clear glass. She had changed a lot, physically speaking, after Anko did that marvelous makeover a few days ago. Sakura smiled softly, knowing that she had gained confidence from that.

She thought that would be another normal day of rehearsal. It would be the usual practice with the band, Crypz. She also thought that the only people she would see in the house would be the emotionless Sasuke, hungry Naruto, and perverted Kakashi.

The chauffeur stopped the limo outside the mansion's stairs. He opened her door and Sakura stepped out. The limo left, and she was all alone outside the large, wooden front doors. She gulped. Something strange was going on. She did not know why she would think that, but she could sense it.. she felt that it was going to put her in a lot of trouble.

Sakura took a deep breath and opened the door. It was quite a surprise to see the once-forsaken rooms of Sasuke's home teeming with bustling people. She stepped inside and closed the door silently, so nobody noticed her. She didn't know them anyway and she assumed that they didn't know her.

Sakura proceeded without being minded by the people around her. She wondered if they were busily preparing for a party or something. Eventually, she saw a familiar face in the crowd. Sakura quickly walked towards the dark-haired woman, who was giving instructions to two men carrying boxes.

"Hey, hurry up!" the woman ordered impatiently. "We haven't got all day."

"B-But Anko-sama," the first man complained, "We haven't had our breakfast yet. We're starving."

Anko smiled mischievously. "Come on now. This is a very important event and I'm counting on you guys. If we pull this off, I'll treat you both to ramen plus autographs from the band."

"I'm sorry, but we really have to take a break." The same man slowly set his boxes on the floor.

"How about taking a picture with Crypz's beautiful lead singer?" she tried tempting them. Sakura felt her face flush.

The second man nodded in agreement, but then his stomach growled. He gave Anko an embarrassed look and shook his head.

She crossed her arms and noticed Sakura walking towards her. Anko blinked, her lips curving into an unlikely grin, then waved to Sakura. Her two workers turned around to see the pink-haired girl walking towards them. Both men's expressions turned to shock.

Sakura smiled weakly. She felt embarrassed that some of the workers, including the two hungry ones, were staring at her. Was something wrong with her clothes? Did her hair look all right? Was something on her face? She felt very insecure, and Anko's mischievous grin didn't help the matter. This was not going to be good.

After a brief pause, Anko's grin grew wider.

"Guys," Anko said, moving to stand beside Sakura. "This is Haruno Sakura, lead singer for Crypz." Sakura gave them her sweetest smile and nodded. Her long hair swished as her head moved, drawing unwanted attention to it (or so she fretted). The two workers bowed cautiously and Sakura saw that they were blushing.

Anko laughed softly. "Success," she whispered.

"P-Pleased to meet you, Haruno-san!" The first one exclaimed with a smile. "Wow, I- uh, I'll support you all the way ma'am!"

"Yes yes, we'll do our best and um, good luck with your part. People will be very happy to hear Crypz's music," the second one announced. He picked up the boxes he had left in the corner. "We'll be going to work now. Again, it was a pleasure to meet you, Haruno-san."

"Please." Sakura gently corrected, "Call me Sakura."

"Yes, thank you, Sakura-san," the first one said. He grabbed a small notebook and pen from his backpack and held them out to her. "Could you kindly autograph this for my daughter? She used to love Crypz." He smiled.

Anko crossed her arms and laughed again while Sakura grew flustered. It was her first time writing an autograph. What was she supposed to do? She grabbed the paper nervously, heart thumping. She wrote "To", asked for his daughter's name, and wrote it on the paper followed by "From Sakura" below it. Sakura hadn't ever given or received an autograph before, so she stared at it for a few seconds after she finished writing to make sure it wasn't too horrible.

The man took the notebook, said his thanks, and went back to work. It seemed like both men had completely forgotten their hunger. Anko smiled at Sakura, who felt partially hysterical from her recent adrenalin rush.

"Did you see what I did?" Sakura gasped, "I actually gave an autograph!"

Anko giggled. "Well, there's a first time for everything and you better get used to it. You'll be doing a lot of things like that after today's press conference."

The singer inhaled deeply and smiled at the thought._ 'What a feeling... I want to experience that again and now I will, just after today's press con-'_

"Today's **what**!" she yelped.

"Press conference, remember? It's later this afternoon at the KTV building," Anko patiently explained. "I'll bet it was quite a surprise, huh? How did you take it last night? Did Sasuke call you or tell you in person?"

Sakura shook her head and tuned out Anko's questions. She had never liked surprises, but this one was the worst. How could they do this to her?

"Well then," Anko chirped. "You'd better go upstairs. Sasuke can explain the rest of the details." Sakura turned mutely and walked up the stairs. She could not take this kind of surprise. The excitement she felt earlier was turning into anger.

He was going to have a _lot_ of explaining to do.

* * *

"Uh-oh," Naruto moaned as he flopped down on a comfortable seat in Sasuke's office. "I have a bad feeling about this." 

"What?" Sasuke asked, eyeing the blond drummer.

"Sakura. I bet she was shocked when you told her the news. I mean, she's only a beginner." Naruto paused.

"She'll be fine." Sasuke shrugged.

"How can you be so sure?" Naruto shot back. "You know how panicky she can be sometimes."

"Are you saying that we've made a mistake in choosing Sakura, Naruto?" Sasuke glared. "That she doesn't have the guts?"

Naruto jumped to his feet angrily. "I'm not saying anything about that! You know I believe in Sakura and I support her." The blond man grinned tauntingly. "Besides, if Sakura didn't have guts, she wouldn't have slapped you at her audition, Sasuke-teme."

Sasuke stood and stared icily at Naruto, his cheeks pinker than normal. "Why you-"

"Hmm? I saw how hard she hit you." Naruto laughed, "If I could see it again, I could die happy."

"It's never going to happen again," Sasuke replied. "I will not allow it."

Suddenly, the door opened. The two band members jumped and turned to see an angry, pink-haired girl storm into the room.

"Perfect timing, Sakura." Sasuke smirked. "If you'd entered a second later, this dobe would've been fatally wounded."

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted her. "You look uptight... are you okay?"

"Why didn't anybody tell me!" Sakura half-yelled. She was torn between panic and the urge to hurt something.

"Tell you what, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, giving Sasuke a confused glance.

"Nobody here even mentioned today's press conference!" Sakura gasped, "I-I'm not ready for this!"

Naruto looked at Sasuke again, shock visible on his face. "You didn't _tell_ her!"

Sasuke watched Sakura passively. "I might have _forgotten _to inform her last night."

Sakura glared at him.

"But," he continued, his gaze serious. "You're ready. I've taught you well and you've learned damn fast."

It was probably true. Sasuke patiently took the time to train her every day in his home. He was very strict, but that just made her even more determined to be the best she could be. The guitarist was a great teacher and Sakura was a great student. They had become an unstoppable duo in the Uchiha household over the past few days. Sasuke even decided that she had learned enough to be helpful with writing new songs. After months of inactivity, Crypz was creating music once again.

"S-Sasuke..." Sakura said worriedly. "I'm not so sure about this. All of it's too soon, everything is going too fast."

The blond drummer poured a glass of water and gave it to her. "Sakura-chan, I might just have to agree with Sasuke." He smiled. "When you practice with us, you rock harder than any other female singer I know!"

"You sing passionately," Sasuke muttered, staring at the wall to his left. "That gives our music the depth that Neji couldn't give before."

Sakura blinked, surprised. _''Is Sasuke...complimenting me?' _

Naruto's expression mirrored her own thoughts.

"What's with the looks?" Sasuke asked gruffly. "I'm just saying."

"Sasuke.." Sakura smiled gratefully. "Arigatou. I think I'm ready now. I wish you'd told me earlier so that I could've brought my lucky handkerchief," she chided.

"I can be your good-luck charm, Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned, attempting cuteness with big puppy-dog eyes. Sakura couldn't help but giggle.

"There's something I want to discuss with you, Sakura," Sasuke interrupted. "About your relationship with Hyuuga."

"We've already talked about this, right?" Sakura replied calmly. "You said that whenever I'm not with the band, I can be friends with whoever I want. But, when I'm with the band, I keep my distance from Neji."

"Well, after the press conference, everybody will know that you're a part of Crypz. Since they'll be thinking that way, you must permanently keep your distance from him to avoid any nasty comments or gossip."

"What!" Sakura protested, "B-but, he's kind to me, Sasuke."

Sasuke sighed and looked at her straight in the eye. His dark eyes seemed unreadable and mysterious. "Just trust me, Sakura. It will only hurt you, and nobody here wants that."

Sakura fell silent. All her thoughts were swirling around her head in a confused jumble. She could hear her memory of Sasuke's voice whispering, _"Don't worry...I will protect you..."_

"Watch out, Sasuke-teme." Naruto warned, "when a girl is quiet, it only means one thing: there's a lot of stuff running through her mind now."

"Sakura, look at me," Sasuke said softly. "Neji was interviewed a few days ago, have you watched it?"

Sakura shook her head. _'No.'_

"Listen," Sasuke insisted. "He spoke as if he knew a lot about you. He almost exposed you."

"_Almost_, Sasuke," she clarified. "That's different."

Sasuke stared at her. "My brother and I are rivals. Only one of us can inherit KTV Corp. You work for me, Neji works for my brother; that makes the two of you rivals too."

"Sorry for interrupting, Sakura-chan," Naruto said solemnly. "But you still don't know Sasuke's brother. He's ambitious... he will do _anything _to fulfill his dreams."

"Exactly." Sasuke nodded. "Now, do you understand?"

Sakura hesitated. She looked at Naruto, then Sasuke, and sighed. It seemed that she did not have any other choice. She had to distance herself from Neji from then on. She'd just have to get used to it. Sakura nodded silently.

"Now, another question." Sasuke's expression was unreadable as he asked, "Do you trust me?"

Sakura smiled and replied, "Yes." She paused, then asked, "What now?"

He sighed. "Go see Anko so she can fix you up and drive you to KTV Building," Sasuke instructed. "We'll meet you there."

"Oh, we aren't going together?" she asked.

"Naruto and I have to go ahead and check every detail," he explained. "This is an important event, everything must be perfect."

"Oh, I see." Sakura nodded and stood. "I'll go to Anko now. See you guys later!" She grinned, then walked out of Sasuke's office.

"Hey, Sasuke-teme," Naruto said as Sakura closed the door. "...What's up with you? I know you're concerned about her and all but aren't you overreacting a bit?"

Sasuke gave him a disinterested look. "I'm acting normal, dobe."

"Plus, why didn't you tell Sakura last night?" Naruto said accusingly, "You're not the type of person that_ forgets_ things, especially if they're as important as that."

"Dobe." Sasuke smirked, then looked out the window of his office. "I didn't forget."

"You're so weird, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto yawned. "Don't bother explaining."

Sasuke watched the street far below him.

"I had to do _something_ to avenge my pride from that slap."

* * *

_Meanwhile_

Hyuuga Neji struck the strings of his bass and played his solo. His head bobbed in time with the music, luxurious black hair swaying with his every move. It was just a rehearsal, but he was more serious than the previous ones. Neji and his (temporary) band mates had been making music since that morning. He masked his face so nobody would see it, but he was becoming rather tired.

The song he had written earlier in the week ended. He signaled to the people on the other side of the glass window, and someone announced that they would take a break. Neji's band mates went out to have a snack while he stayed inside and tuned his bass.

_This bass.. it's just not the same as the old one,_ Neji thought.

Itachi entered the soundproof room and smirked. "I found out that Crypz is announcing their new lead singer this afternoon, Hyuuga."

"Oh?" Neji looked up. "Okay."

The elder Uchiha leaned against the wall and shook his head. "This Haruno Sakura doesn't contain any star quality."

"How can you tell?" Neji asked.

"It's the way she dresses and the way she speaks and the way she acts." Itachi shrugged. "Everything."

"She is passionate, though, isn't that most important?"

"Believe me, passion is the last thing anyone needs." Itachi chuckled, "Are you _defending_ her?"

Neji grit his teeth and breathed deeply. How could he work for someone who thought like that? Yet, he calmly replied, "No, I'm stating a fact."

"Fine." Itachi spoke.

"Fine." Neji whispered. He gently placed his bass in its stand, stood, and started walking towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Itachi asked. "You have more practice in fifteen minutes."

"I'll be out for an _hour_." The white-eyed singer said calmly, "I've had enough practice for today."

He stalked out of the room, leaving Itachi alone. The manager smirked amusedly.

* * *

The limousine slowly made its way towards KTV Building's enormous parking lot. The place was packed unusually full with cars and vans. Almost all the vehicles had the logos of media companies, television networks, or magazines painted on their sides. It seemed like everyone in the country was present for the "event of the year," or so Anko called it. It was when KTV Corporation would present Crypz's new lead singer--Haruno Sakura. 

Anko got out of the limousine first. She scanned the area, then signaled that the coast was clear. No reporters were visible. She motioned for Sakura to come out. As she did, Anko admired her own masterpiece.

Sakura got out of the limo slowly, afraid to ruin her hair, which was beautifully styled by Anko. Hair, as Anko always said, must make a statement. This time, hers was tied up high and curled at the tip.

Sakura's outfit, courtesy of Hinata, was perfect. She was wearing a light pink tube top, black leather pants, and her all-time favorite boots. She wore some accessories too, like silver 60's earrings, five different bracelets on her left arm, and her favorite pink sun glasses.

"You're going to be perfect for the press conference," Anko said, smiling proudly.

"Anko, arigatou gozaimasu!" Sakura laughed gratefully. "I don't know how I could manage this without your help. Oh, and thanks for not putting too much make-up on me today, too."

"No problem." The beauty specialist winked and handed Sakura small paper bag. "Just keep putting on this lip gloss, it completes the look."

"Oh, okay." Sakura pocketed the thin tube. "Let's get going, Crypz is waiting for me."

Anko's cell phone rang. "Hold that thought," she said. She flipped it open and said, "Yeah?" Her smile suddenly disappeared, replaced with a frown.

_'Uh-oh, this is not good,'_ Sakura thought nervously.

"What the hell do you mean by 'it just broke'?" Anko asked angrily. "I can't do everything around here, you know!"

Sakura remained silent and leaned on the limousine door.

"Look, I'm with a client right now, could you kindly just- What! That thing's stuck on someone's head, idiot! No, wait for me, I'll take care of that now, the damage might get worse." Anko closed her phone and laughed.

"Ano, Sakura," Anko said quickly. "I have to go back to my clinic, there's an emergency. You know where KTV's auditorium is, right?"

"Actually, I-" Sakura started. Anko interrupted her with a bear hug and climbed back into the limousine.

"Great! Good luck then, Sakura." Anko smirked. "Remember the lip gloss."

"Y-Yeah, wait, I-"

"Bye!" She closed the limousine door and drove out of the parking lot.

Sakura sighed. _'This is just great. I hope I don't get lost in that really, really huge building again and I hope I won't be late and I hope Sasuke doesn't kill me.'_

She started walking towards the doors, then noticed that somebody was following her. She didn't have time to find out who it was; there was very little time left until the press conference was supposed to start.

_Twenty minutes_

"Hey, wait!" the man behind her shouted. He looked relatively normal, other than his dark glasses. Sakura kept walking, faster this time.

"Sakura!" he shouted again. "Stop!"

She whirled around. His voice sounded familiar. She looked over the tops of her pink glasses to see clearer. Sakura waited and the man ran towards her. He took his glasses off and smiled.

Sakura gasped, "Neji! What are you doing here?"

_Fifteen minutes_

"Nothing," he said. "How are you?"

Sakura let her smile fade as she looked him in the eyes. "Look, Neji," she started, "Sasuke's been giving me advice these past few days."

"Sasuke, huh?" Neji raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess, he's been telling you that you nasty things about me."

"No, no." Sakura attempted a smile, trying to comfort him at least a little. "No nasty things, don't worry. I don't believe that you're that kind of guy anyway."

Neji remained silent.

_Ten minutes_

Sakura glanced at the clock on the front of the building worriedly. "But I promised him that I'd stay away from you. Neji, face it, we are rivals and we can't be friends. I know you're really a great guy who..."

She hesitated.

"Yes?" Neji asked, encouraging her to continue.

Sakura smiled, remembering the day when they had lunch together. The time when Neji revealed his soft side to his newfound rival. She'd seen the kind, distant look in his eyes then. "Who's definitely in love."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."

Crypz's lead singer felt herself blush. There was an inexplicable tingling feeling inside of her. Admiration, that must be it. There weren't too many men like Neji nowadays, ones that were not afraid to make a sacrifices for the ones they love.

_'Unlike that Uchiha Sasuke...' _Sakura grumbled internally.

_Five minutes_

"Look, I came here to ask for a favor," Neji said. "After that, I'll leave you alone without regrets."

Sakura looked at the clock again, beginning to feel nervous. "Okay, what?"

"Tybalt." Neji whispered.

She blinked. "What?"

"My bass guitar," he explained. "The one in the Uchiha mansion? I want you to get it back for me. Crypz won't even notice its absence."

"Oh, okay, sure." Sakura flashed him a smile. "It's yours anyway, so it won't hurt anybody. After that, it'll be just business for the two of us, okay?"

"Yes." Neji smirked.

"I'll give it to you _sometime_, I promise, but I really have to go now." Sakura started to run towards the door, waving goodbye to the Hyuuga.

"Sakura!" he called out.

She glanced over her shoulder. "What is it?"

"KTV's auditorium is at the 12th floor." He smirked again.

_Late!

* * *

_

"Haa..." Uchiha Sasuke started. He stopped and stared at Sakura, who had just burst through the backstage door. He cleared his throat and continued, "You're _late_!"

True, she was late, but not by too much. She had still kept the media waiting, though. Fortunately, Kakashi and Naruto were onstage, entertaining them. Sasuke had opted to wait for her backstage. He looked moderately impressed when Sakura confirmed that she hadn't been noticed on her way there.

"The press conference is about to start," Sasuke continued. "Do whatever you need to get ready, I'll go out and introduce you. When you hear your name, go through the curtains."

Sakura was too anxious to talk; she merely nodded. Sasuke slipped past the curtains easily. She fixed her hair a bit, reapplied her lip gloss, and took a deep breath.

_"-Crypz's new lead singer, Haruno Sakura!"_

That was her cue.

Sakura stepped out from behind the curtains and was immediately bombarded with flashes of light. She hesitated, then smiled and waved at the crowd.

Unfortunately, the lights had surprised her and she was very nervous. She unwittingly held the red curtain tight with her right hand. The left curtain wrapped around her foot and she tripped.

The audience _ooh-_ed sympathetically, but no other noises were made except for those from the camera flashbulbs. Sakura quickly got up and flushed bright pink. A few audience members clapped politely. She shyly smiled and waved again, heading towards four seats onstage. Her band mates were seated, and appeared shocked. She sat between Sasuke and Naruto, still blushing.

"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked worriedly. "That was a nasty fall."

"Y-Yeah, sure, I'm okay," Sakura whispered to him. "So, how does this work?"

Sasuke smirked. Kakashi stood up, chuckling. "Let's try this again, shall we?"

_'We proudly introduce to you Crypz's lead singer, Haruno Sakura!'_

…_to be continued…

* * *

_

**A/N: **Okay, I'm really sorry for this chapter's late update. I had my first writer's block and maybe a little bit of laziness too. Hehe, so comments, suggestions and violent reactions (especially about the votes) are welcome. Thank you all for reading! I'll be writing the next chapter soon.

**Votes:**

**Neji/Sakura:** 26 votes. (This is perfectly understandable since I've not written any Neji/Sakura moments for now. There are a lot in the future, though.)

**Sasuke/Sakura: **96 votes. (**OMG**)


	18. Chapter eighteen

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**A/N:** It's been a while since I've updated this story and I really apologize for months of being inactive. Since I already have the time to update on this, I finally decided to recollect my thoughts and continue this. Gomen-nasai for the long wait!

**B/N:** Hey everybody, long time no see! I'm sorry, I totally delayed this for a horribly long time after Crystal finished it, in between being sick and then finals and then random family trips and home remodeling which left me internet-less for three weeks. Dx Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter eighteen

Haruno Sakura couldn't keep the deep blush from spreading across her cheeks. It felt like a hundred pairs of eyes were focused on her, their owners ready to interview her, ready to judge and doubt every word that flew from her mouth. Of course, she wasn't alone—there were four of them in the center of attention. Yet, she couldn't help but feel pressured, since she was the newcomer in the group. She had to make a good impression on these people, not only for herself, but for the sake of Crypz.

She stayed still, taking in the scene around her. Invasive flashes of light came from the photographers below. A blinding spotlight was focused on the band, leaving Sakura unable to see most of the audience. She uneasily tried to see what her band mates were doing. The blond idiot, as Sasuke would call him, was giving the reporters his famous, sheepish grin. Kakashi was rather calm, giving some of the interviewers a small wave. Obviously, they were female. Lastly, Sakura shifted her gaze to the right and saw Uchiha Sasuke... who was just sitting there! He was simply looking at the crowd with his usual emotionless face.

She could easily envision hundreds of ways the audience would respond to his stare. He could even scare the entire crowd out of the building if he didn't turn that frown upside down soon.

_'Nah,'_ thought Sakura, pushing the idea out of her head. _'Girls won't run away from Uchiha Sasuke, they would chase after him.' _

She then imagined him helplessly running from a group of _hungry-for-Sasuke_ fan girls. After he got tired of running, he would finally face his admirers and give them one of his infamous deadly stares. Yet, instead of being scared away, the girls would scream their hearts out chase him once again.

Meanwhile, Sakura would stand just to the side, laughing her head off because she pioneered that evil plot. _'He deserves it! He didn't even warn me about this press conference!'_ Then her imagined self would cackle evilly.

Sakura realized with a jolt that her mind was drifting away, and she felt panic rush through her again. For a short while, imagining Sasuke in a comical situation had made her laugh and forget her nervousness. She still tried to stay calm, though. "Haha, okaaaay, that was random," she whispered.

Suddenly, Sasuke turned towards her, his onyx eyes meeting hers. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Sakura thought that every time their eyes met, it was as if they were the only two people in the world. The intensity of his gaze left her feeling giddy, flushed, and confused. He nodded curtly, then whispered, "Stop daydreaming."

His words shook her out of her daze and she hissed, "I'm not daydreaming! I'm thinking of a clever plot to murder you later for forgetting to tell me about this press conference. I-I could have prepared for it!"

"Don't worry so much," Sasuke replied, turning back to the audience, "just act natural and smile. If they ask you something, answer it. If it's too personal and you feel like you can't handle it, I'll back you up."

"Naruto and Kakashi too?" Sakura beamed.

"Aa."

She looked at the crowd and gave it her best smile. She was feeling more confident, and she had the support of her friends and Sasuke. _'I just have to be honest and be myself. After all, what's the worst that could happen?'_

Kakashi took his mic and cleared his throat. Sakura jerked her head up in surprise as the sound echoed throughout the room. A hush spread over the audience.

"To continue with what Sasuke started... today, Crypz hopes to answer all the questions you have about the... _changes_ within the band. So, ask away." He sat down with a polite smile.

Naruto grinned and added into his own mic, "Don't hold back, we know you've got plenty of 'em!" The audience members laughed.

A man carrying a small notebook and pen stepped up from the crowd and approached the podium placed at the front of the audience. He looked at Sakura and nodded. "Good morning, Haruno-san."

"Good morning," Sakura replied with a smile.

"Could you please tell us more about yourself, Miss Haruno?" the man inquired politely. "And how did you end up being Crypz's lead singer?"

She took a slow breath. All right, here was her first question. Time to give it her all. Sakura sent the reporter a warm smile and said, "I'm Haruno Sakura and I'm currently twenty-two years old. Before Crypz, I worked as a freelance painter. Uhm, my friend found out about the auditions to be Crypz's singer and forced me to try out." She laughed and continued, "Right now, I feel a bit pressured because I have to live up to the incredible legacy that this band has worked hard to achieve. Working with everyone has been a blast, though, and I'm thankful for the opportunity and for the faith my band mates have in me."

"At first, our guitarist disagreed with the idea of holding an audition to find our singer." Naruto added with a grin, "But then, in the end, he personally chose Sakura-chan!"

Sakura blushed and heard Sasuke mutter something. It sounded suspiciously like "dobe."

The man scribbled something down on his notebook, then asked, "Could you confirm that, Uchiha-san?"

"Of course," Sasuke sighed. "She has marvelous talent. It'd be foolish to pass it up."

"I see." The man nodded, then continued, "I heard that you were hard to please, Uchiha-san?"

"You heard correctly," Kakashi chuckled. "He gave our lead singer quite a hard time."

The audience laughed a bit; then the man nodded again. "I see, thank you." As he left, a woman replaced his place behind the microphone.

"Good morning, Uchiha-san," she began. "I would like to ask how you feel about former Crypz lead singer, Hyuuga Neji, switching to the management of Uchiha Itachi and going solo?"

Sakura saw Sasuke wince, but he took the mic and answered calmly, "It was a decision he made for himself; there was really nothing we could do. Maybe he felt like he needed a change, so he pursued a solo career. All legal agreements were done by then, so he was free to go. It was all up to him."

After he finished, the audience stayed silent. There was a poorly restrained anger in his voice that Sakura was sure more people than just herself had noticed. The woman at the podium coughed. "Oh, okay. And... the rumor that Hyuuga Neji left the music scene at that time because of a woman... was it true?"

_'She shouldn't have asked that,'_ Sakura thought worriedly, glancing at Sasuke. It was obvious, at least to her, that he was trying to keep his cool. She knew how angry he was with the Hyuuga, even now.

Naruto must also noticed Sasuke's wavering composure, because he jumped in. "We ourselves are not certain as to why he left, and we're surprised at these nasty rumors coming from nowhere."

"I see." The woman nodded. "One last question: what did Crypz do after Hyuuga Neji left?"

Sasuke clenched his fists and answered roughly, "We didn't give up just because our lead singer left us! We kept making songs and music, only in secret. Two years later, we began our search for a new lead singer to sing the new songs and revive Crypz once again."

Another reporter ran up the microphone and snatched it away from the woman. He asked hastily, "Haruno-san, is the current rumor going around true? You're in a relationship with Hyuuga Neji right now?"

Sasuke looked up and turned his head towards Sakura, giving her one of the frostiest glares she'd ever seen him use. She responded with a confused expression.

**'All lies! Who's spreading this anyway?!'** Inner Sakura roared.

Sakura stammered, "N-no! There's nothing going on, of course." She laughed awkwardly. "We're just acquaintances, and whenever I met him, it was _always_ because of pure coincidence!"

Well, technically, she wasn't lying. Most of the times that they met in the past were actually coincidental. But... she still felt guilty. They might have been by chance, but because of those events, she had gotten to know Neji better, and she was honestly pleased with what she had discovered.

"Well, Haruno-san, according to my _very_ reliable source," the man replied with a grin, "you were with Hyuuga Neji sometime last week and had lunch with him. Not only that, someone actually saw you two together in the parking lot earlier this morning. Could you explain, please?"

"Hn." Sasuke sarcastically whispered to Sakura, "I clearly remember you promising that you'd never speak to the Hyuuga again."

"I did!" Sakura defended herself. "He came to me for a favor and I couldn't just drive him away! But I told him that after that I would never see him again."

The guitarist fell unusually silent. He glanced at Kakashi and Naruto, who both nodded. All three wore looks of suspicion. Sasuke clenched his fist and muttered, "Someone's setting you up with Neji."

"What would they gain from that?" Sakura asked.

The Uchiha didn't respond. He simply looked away, obviously sorting things out in his own head.

Sakura had some questions of her own. Someone was trying to set her up. Was it to add up to the intrigue? To boost Neji's fame? Or, worst of all, to destroy Crypz?

_'This is bad.'_ Sakura worriedly asked herself, _'What should I do? One wrong move could screw everything up!'_

"Excuse me, Haruno-san?" There was still a question that she had to answer.

Sakura couldn't concentrate on the question anymore. There were so many things running through her mind—_'Who would do this to us? We haven't done anything wrong!'_

**'Gaah!'** Inner Sakura shrieked. **'This is _SO_ unfair!'**

"Sakura-chan?" Kakashi tapped her shoulder lightly. "Are you okay?"

"Uh yeah," Sakura lied. She could feel her whole body tense; the pressure she felt was physically weighing down on her shoulders. "Well," she laughed a bit to try to remove the tension, but there was no success, "about Neji..."

She realized that she was completely tongue-tied. She grumbled internally,_ 'What perfect timing. I really need to be careful about what I say... that is, if I could say anything.'_

After an awkward silence, the reporters began to whisper to one another while simultaneously throwing confused looks at Sakura. That didn't help the singer at all.

She took a deep breath and slowly took the mic. "There's nothing going on between me and Neji."

The whispering ceased for then, but the media did not seem to believe a word she just said, which made Sakura even more uncomfortable. What did they expect her to do, lie?

"Okay, it's like this," she told them. "I bumped into Neji this morning, nothing more! It was coincidence!"

"What about the lunch you had last week, Haruno-san?" the annoying reporter prompted.

"It was_ just_ lunch," Sakura said tiredly. "The person he was planning to meet couldn't come. He saw me and he invited me to a friendly lunch instead."

It was the _truth_. She knew it worked every time!

"I see... very well then, Haruno-san." The man nodded and took a seat, although it was obvious that he was doubtful of what she had said. The truth obviously didn't do anything for Sakura. This made matters worse; now the other reporters were even more suspicious.

_'I guess the it didn't work this time,'_ Sakura sighed. _'What am I going to do now?'_

Crypz's lead singer jerked her head up when she felt a warm hand entwine itself with hers. She looked to her right and saw the raven-haired guitarist smirking. He took the mic in the other hand and said to the audience, "I believe that Sakura's meetings with Neji were all nothing but coincidence."

"Why would you say that, Uchiha-san?" The man inquired.

The handsome lead guitarist's smirk grew wider, and he still wasn't letting go of Sakura's hand. "It's actually pretty simple. Haruno Sakura isn't dating Hyuuga Neji...

"She's dating me."

* * *

Hyuuga Neji was getting impatient.

He had been waiting almost an hour for his manager to arrive. He hadn't realized that his meeting with Sakura would be so short, so he came back to the set earlier than expected. All he found was that his manager and the couple of goof-heads who called themselves his _"band mates"_ were nowhere to be found.

He shifted his attention to the bass guitar that he held and strummed a few strings, but his mind was off elsewhere. He was thinking of_ her_. This relationship of theirs wasn't going as well as he'd expected, and he could feel that she was drifting away from him more and more each day.

The silver-eyed singer shook his head. He had been denying it for a few weeks. He didn't want to believe or even think that the decision he made and the sacrifices that went with it were in vain. They had all been for_ her_.

He truly loved her, and he wanted to believe that she stillloved him back. However, things didn't _feel_ right anymore.

His gaze went to the window beside him, and a faint image floated through his mind. It was a comforting smile coming from the one person that he shouldn't ever think of in the first place. A beautiful smile, coming from the lips of Crypz's lead singer.

"Man," Neji whispered to himself, "there's just something about her..."

His thought was cut off when the door of the room suddenly opened and he finally saw his manager enter. He could see amusement in Itachi's eyes.

"Oh, Neji." Itachi glanced at him. "When did you arrive?"

Neji stared out the window. "Early. You look pleased."

Itachi smirked. "I just fixed a few... loose ends, that's all. Keeping situations _clean and in order_ always puts me in a good mood."

The Hyuuga was silent, still strumming his guitar.

"Oh, by the way, prepare your best formal attire for tomorrow night and bring a date," Neji's manager instructed. "We're invited to a special celebration held by one of the wealthiest and most famous families in Japan."

Neji sighed, "Is my attendance required?"

"For starters, almost every star is invited to that celebration," Itachi patiently explained. "Second, the media will be featuring that event, wouldn't it be nice if you were seen mingling with people of your class? With the rich and _already_ famous?"

"I don't really care about who I hang out with," Neji grumbled.

"But your fans do," Itachi smiled knowingly, "and it can affect your career."

Neji sighed again, then just nodded.

"By the way," Itachi continued. "the last reason would definitely make you agree."

"Crypz," Neji whispered, "is performing tomorrow night?"

"You've read my mind." The older Uchiha smirked.

* * *

Gasps and whispers followed the dreadful silence that came after Sasuke's revelation. The reporter that was originally pressuring Sakura was obviously surprised, too; he had probably never expected to have this kind of juicy scoop slip from the band. He just made music history!

Uchiha Sasuke, the rich and the famous lead guitarist of Crypz, co-owner of KTV Corporation and one of the most exclusive bachelors in Japan, had actually admitted that he was dating someone. And not only someone, but his new band-mate—Haruno Sakura. This was going to be the hottest story of the year. After all, it was _the_ Uchiha Sasuke!

Sakura was speechless. She hadn't expected Sasuke to sacrifice his own reputation to save her. Maybe he felt that she was so pressured by that reporter's questions that she couldn't get herself out of the mess she'd made, and there was no other choice but for him to say that there was something going on between them. It was all to avert the media's attention from the blooming _'Neji and Sakura issue'_.

Naruto and Kakashi were obviously shocked too, but they went along with Sasuke's plan silently. They knew that he was only trying to back Sakura up. There wasn't really any better option than this.

Or, at least, Kakashi understood. Naruto was, however, having a hard time trying not to cause a scene in front of so many reporters. From Sakura's vantage point, she could see that his eyes were bugged out and he was mouthing silent words. Kakashi sighed at him. "Listen, Naruto, this way the uncomfortable intrigue between Crypz's former and current singers will end. And this could boost Crypz's popularity rate," he muttered softly. "So stop freaking out."

"And I know," Kakashi added, mostly to himself, "that Sasuke would like it better if Sakura-chan were rumored to be with anybody _but_ Hyuuga Neji."

After a few seconds, the blue-haired guitarist finally met Sakura's eyes. She couldn't read his face, but it wasn't regretful or shameful. She was sure her expression was filled with shock and questioning. He still held onto her hand, to convince the audience more. Then he did the most unexpected gesture for the entire world to see.

He smiled at her.

Sakura's face immediately flushed with embarrassment. He was terribly handsome. Did he do it for the act? Or was it... real? She couldn't quite figure it out, but what she was certain about was that she couldn't keep herself from blushing. The reporters were rushing towards the mic, all at the same time, and asking all sorts of questions. Of course, every one was about Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura.

Everything was like a blur to Sakura. Did the people in this business _always_ put you on the spot like that?! The media was throwing rapid-fire questions at them, everybody shouting at once. Flashes of light from their cameras bombarded the band. Sakura couldn't understand any of it anymore.

_'Why did you hide your relationship in the shadows for a long time?'_

_'Since when were you dating?'_

_'Do the rest of the band members know about this?'_

_'Are you planning on getting married soon?'_

Naruto simply laughed, but he was the one who stood first and announced, "The press conference is over. Thank you all for coming!"

Sasuke stood up, holding Sakura's wrist. He looked at the crowd with his usual serious face, then turned his back on them. Sakura smiled at the crowd and went to the guitarist's side, quickly walking backstage with him.

Kakashi was the last one to leave. "We're really sorry if we weren't able to answer all of your questions, but this press-conference is supposed to be made short," he said. "But Crypz will be performing a small live gig at Fujiwara Palace tomorrow night, so see you there!"

He ended his announcement with a bow and left.

As the silver-haired bass player went backstage, he could hear the continuous clapping of the enthusiastic reporters.

* * *

The press conference was officially over, and Kakashi informed the band that he was holding a short meeting in Sasuke's office about some upcoming activities. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura all went in the elevator, and as soon as the door closed, the blond drummer exploded.

"Gaah! You're so unfair, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto screamed at the silent guitarist by the corner. "Why do_ you _get to be with Sakura-chan?!"

"Dobe," Sasuke muttered, then crossed his arms over his chest.

But Naruto wasn't done yet. Despite his endless ranting at the Uchiha, Sakura still couldn't stop blushing from the previous events. She shyly glanced up to see an emotionless Sasuke. Wasn't he a bit affected by this?

_'I have to thank him,'_ Sakura thought guiltily, looking away from him. _'He did all that for me, even after all the trouble I gave him about Neji...'_

Sasuke's piercing dark eyes landed on Sakura's face for a while. He frowned slightly; she was unusually silent. It was only natural for her to be shocked at first, but Sasuke had honestly expected her to blow up after a minute or so. But this time, it was different.

Sakura must have felt him watching her, because she glanced up. She met his gaze and immediately averted her eyes to another direction.

_'She's... embarrassed?' _Sasuke mentally smirked.

He kept looking at her, making Sakura fidget even more self-consciously. There was something about her being this embarrassed that made the situation rather amusing.

_'She looks cute when she's all flushed like that,'_ Sasuke remarked to himself. Then the elevator dinged and the door opened.

After a brief walk, filled with Naruto's ranting (although Sasuke had almost entirely tuned him out), they finally reached his office. Naruto went straight into a back room where the mini-fridge was, leaving Sasuke and Sakura alone. The guitarist took a magazine to read while Sakura sat on the other end of the sofa. There was an uncomfortable distance between them... and silence.

'_This is really awkward,'_ Sakura thought. _'I just want to get it over with!'_

**'Hell,'** Inner Sakura replied, **'let me do that! I'll just kiss the crap out of him! That way he'll know how much I appreciate what he did!'**

Sakura cursed mentally, _'You're not helping! Sasuke will hate me even more if I do that!'_

**"Okay then, do YOU have a better idea?"**

Sakura fell silent. It was actually now or never. She had to know if he was angry or not. The silence was killing her.

After gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and quickly stood up, hands at her sides. Then she turned and faced her savior. "Sasuke!" she blurted out.

Sasuke merely looked up from the magazine that he was reading and stared at her.

"I-I just want to say," Sakura mumbled, watching her feet intently. "I'm really sorry!"

He closed the magazine and stood, carrying it over to a small stand and setting it on top of an already-existing stack. Then he turned towards her and folded his arms across his chest. "For what?"

"You know what I'm talking about!" Sakura instantly jerked her head up to meet his eyes. "You threw away your reputation for me even though it was my fault in the first place! None of this would have happened if I had listened to your warnings!"

He was silent. She added resignedly, "I can't blame you if you're angry with me but please, if you are, tell me. I deserve it."

"Tch." Sasuke muttered, "Silly girl."

"What?" Sakura blinked back tears.

"Why would I be angry?" Sasuke asked, a smirk across his face. "I actually killed two birds with one stone."

Sakura was really confused now. _''Two birds with one stone?'_

"First, I was able to make Itachi's scheme backfire," he continued confidently, "and second, this should stop the rumor about you and Neji from getting out of hand."

The pink-haired singer tried explaining, "Look, this thing about Neji..."

Sasuke sighed, "I know you're telling the truth, you couldn't even lie at the press conference earlier."

"It's not that I_ couldn't_ lie, I was afraid that if I _did_ lie, I would get the band into deeper trouble."

The guitarist merely nodded in response.

"Not only do I want to say I'm sorry, Sasuke..." Sakura paused. "I really owe you one."

"Look, just try to keep your promise from now on," Sasuke replied, not meeting her eyes, "because you're really giving me a hard time trying to keep _mine."_

Sakura was shocked, but she knew what he meant. She couldn't help but feel relieved and happy at the same time. Uchiha Sasuke really wasspecial. Then she impulsively jumped towards Crypz's lead guitarist and hugged him. Sasuke stiffened in surprise, but made no effort to move her.

He was taken aback, but he wouldn't deny that he liked the sweet gesture from Sakura. It was like all his efforts were worth it. He wouldn't mind protecting her over and over again.

Sasuke then mentally shook his head,_ 'What the hell am I thinking? I hate this.'_

He felt Sakura blinking back tears and he got a sharp urge to comfort her, but he had no idea how. _'Damn, I really hate this.'_

He did not hug back and she only hugged him a short while. He retained his cool composure when Sakura pulled away from him.

She smiled and jokingly said, "Well, okay then, I'm just sorry that you're _forced_ to be seen with me in public now."

He asked with a smirk, "Who told you I was forced?"

Sakura nodded, then happily sat down on the couch beside him and grabbed a stack of magazines. After a few minutes, Naruto came back with a huge armload of snacks for himself and a few sodas for the band. She talked with him for a while, and something the drummer said made Sakura laugh.

Unbeknownst to the pair, Sasuke was watching them from his nearby seat. He was pretending to read magazines, but was actually double-checking the effects of what he had done earlier in the press conference. The media would have a field day about it, that was for certain.

Sasuke heaved a deep sigh._ 'Sakura and I have to pretend for the public now. Haa... what a bother.'_

He heard Sakura giggle, then brushed off the thought in his head. He knew he made the right choice, he always did. Sakura wouldn't be a problem, as long as she was in Crypz's care and away from his brother and that annoying Hyuuga. Hell, Sasuke wouldn't mind being seen with Sakura.

He wouldn't mind being seen with a person who had a beautiful personality, passionate heart, and undeniable talent, like her.

_He would not mind at all._

* * *

"Well." Naruto sighed as he sat down on the soft sofa in Sasuke's office, "Sure glad that was over!"

Kakashi nodded as he sat, a glass of wine in his hand. "It's been a while since we've done this kind of stuff right? I almost forgot how those people could eat you up alive." He then smiled at Sakura. "Oh well, it still ended up great though!"

Sakura smiled back with appreciation. "Guys, I just want to say thanks for backing me up again!"

Naruto beamed. "No problem, Sakura-chan!"

Sasuke turned his gaze towards Kakashi. "Was there something you want to discuss with the band, Kakashi?"

Kakashi's face became serious. Then he said, "Guys, I know this is a bit fast, especially for Sakura-chan, but I just couldn't pass this opportunity up."

"What is it?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi continued, "Well, remember the time when we brought Sakura-chan to Anko and I was immediately called by a company? Well, this is about what we've discussed."

Sakura looked at him questioningly. "What is it?"

He explained patiently, "The Fujiwara family, one of the richest families in Japan and the one who has the most contacts in the music world, will be holding a grand celebration for their only heiress tomorrow night."

"Hm," Sasuke whispered. "You don't say?"

"Yes." Kakashi nodded, eyeing Sakura. "They made a special request for Crypz to play live tomorrow night in Fujiwara Palace."

Naruto jumped. "No way! Fujiwara Palace? It's like our first time playing there!"

Sasuke ignored Naruto, saying, "Now I know why you couldn't pass it up. Whenever the Fujiwara family hosts a gathering or an event, every famous person and every reporter is sure to be there. This is the perfect chance to launch the 'new Crypz.'"

"Exactly." Kakashi smiled. "The weird thing is that they specially requested us, and I was really surprised when I learned that we're the only band performing that night."

"Wow!" Naruto exclaimed. "This is an honor for us!"

"Aa... but I'm more worried about Sakura-chan."

Everybody in the room turned their gazes to her, causing her to fidget nervously. Sakura looked at each of them in turn, her eyes landing on Sasuke's face last. Somehow, she felt a bit more secure and protected as long as he was with her.

She could definitely do this! The band had worked hard to help her improve, especially Sasuke, who had patiently taught her all the singing technique she knew. She swore that their efforts would not be in vain.

Sakura smiled warmly. "Don't worry, guys, we can do this! I'll do my best because I know that the three of you are there for me!"

Sasuke smirked while Kakashi nodded. Naruto jumped up and hugged Sakura. "Yeess! We can all do this! Go Crypz!"

She giggled and then asked, "Kakashi, what songs are we going to play?"

Kakashi glanced at Sasuke before saying, "Actually, I already thought about that. Since it's a formal party in the first place, I was thinking of some songs that are slow, but still rock songs since that's our trademark anyway."

"Aww man," Naruto whined. "I hate slow songs."

"Sasuke's new compositions are perfect for tomorrow's event." Kakashi grinned at Sasuke. "And those are the songs that Sasuke's been giving Sakura-chan to practice anyway, so it's doubly perfect."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted in agreement.

"Aa, I guess that's all." Kakashi stood up and raised his wine glass. "Let's all toast to tomorrow's performance!"

The three stood and raised their various drinks. "To success!" Naruto announced. Then they all drank up.

"Oh, by the way, could I bring Hinata and Ino tomorrow?" Sakura asked Kakashi.

"Sure," Kakashi said. "Oh before I forget, you guys can bring dates too, if you like. After we play, we'll just be having fun at the party!"

"That's great!" Naruto exclaimed. "Will you be my date then, Sakura-chan?"

"Um." Sakura blushed. "Actually..."

The blond drummer blinked, turning slowly to see Sasuke raising an eyebrow at him.

"Dobe," Sasuke said quietly. "You really aren't paying any attention to things, are you?"

Naruto shrugged. "Whaaat?"

Kakashi sighed, "Naruto, what Sasuke means is that after the unusual... _events_ that happened earlier in the press conference, Sakura-chan's date for tomorrow evening must be him."

"Uhm, I'm sorry Naruto," Sakura said. "But I bet Hinata's going to be free tomorrow night."

Naruto then smiled, "Oh, Hinata-chan's coming? I guess, that's fine then." He walked back to the room with the kitchen area.

"Poor Sakura-chan, you've got to deal with our boring lead guitarist tomorrow night... Where's the_ fun_ in that?" Kakashi laughed.

Sasuke shot him a deadly glare, then silently went back to the living room to continue reading. Kakashi, on the other hand, bid farewell to Sakura as she left the office with a smile.

_'I can just feel that tomorrow's going to be a night to remember.'_

* * *

**A/N:** Arigato to Skye for editing this chapter and for the helpful tips, as well. To my reviewers for being so unbelievably patient, too! I love you all, thanks for the wonderful reviews, it definitely inspired me to write again, I'll be working on the next chapter. Thanks also to all those who added this story to their favorites! Arigato!

Thanks for keeping up with my laziness, Hay. I'll try to update faster now.

**Votes:**

**Sakura/Neji:** 37 (Please don't kill me TT)

**Sakura/Sasuke:** 128


	19. Chapter nineteen

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto

**A/N: **Gomen-nasai! I actually finished this chapter a long time ago but just kept forgetting to post it. This is the **unedited version**, by the way, so forgive me if you can find some grammar mistakes here and there. I've been really busy and I'm pretty sure Skye-chan is the same too. Don't worry though, I'll try to write the next chapter soon! Enjoy reading! :)

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**

**Chapter nineteen ****  
**

Tokyo is beautiful at night.

Although, the streets are busy, it's not the kind of view that would make someone feel agitated or disappointed. The people are busy closing up their shops and some are stuck in traffic on their way home but they're not entirely at loss because they got to see the beauty of the city which was only available during night time. The rich lights of white, yellow and red would eliminate any feeling of loneliness and emptiness. These lights almost illuminated the blanket of darkness that occupied the night. Well, _almost_.

There's still darkness nearby. Lurking and waiting for the perfect opportunity to reveal itself. Darkness takes on many forms. It can be as simple as a black cat, an omen of bad luck, or as enigmatic as a man in a dark alley, alone.

The man stood patiently, obviously, waiting for someone. He took another look at his expensive wristwatch and sighed. The person he's supposed to meet is late but not by much. Still, it's insulting to let a man of his stature to wait in a stinking place like this. He shouldn't be kept waiting in the first place, anyway.

Finally, he heard faint footsteps from the dark path in front of him and finally, a silhouette, a familiar figure rushed towards him.

"You're late," The already impatient man stated the obvious.

"..Gomen-na," The boy with spiky black hair tiredly replied, "You called in such short notice, what's the rush?"

"I have a very special assignment for you," The man said while pulling something out of his pocket and handing it to the boy, it was a photograph.

It was a photo of a smiling pink-haired girl.

"Hey, isn't this Crypz' new lead vocalist?" The boy inquired while raising an eyebrow, "Can't quite remember her name.."

"Haruno Sakura." The man continued solemnly.

"Oh yeah, that's right," The boy replied with annoyance for his own stupidity, "The one who was featured all over the news tonight, the girl who won your little brother's heart."

The older Uchiha smirked, "I'm surprised, Nara, I strongly thought that with your _field of expertise_, you would know the cruel truth behind the glitz and the glamour of show business, it's just a sham."

"Yeah but, for you information, I'm retired," The man lazily sighed while trying to return the photograph, "I don't do those stuff anymore."

"It's such a shame, trying to get rid of an _extraordinar_y talent," The man chuckled, "I'll pay you handsomely and make sure that this will be your last operation.. with my protection."

"How generous can you still be?" The boy inquired with an interested look.

"Enough for a new and richer life," The man smirked.

The boy was silent for a while. He's trying to weigh the situation. Just one last troublesome assignment to destroy an innocent person's reputation for a new and _clean_ life sounds reasonable. He took the picture from the Uchiha again and sighed, "This will be the last."

"Of course," The man placed his hands on his pockets, "You'll begin tomorrow. She'll be at the Fujiwara palace." He turned his back on his and started to walk away.

"..Haa, the usual," The boy spoke with seriousness while looking at the photograph at hand, "What has she ever done to you?"

The Uchiha stopped, "Nothing _yet_. Though, her downfall is necessary for my plans. I trust you do your job well, Nara." He finally disappeared from the dark alley to the busy streets of Tokyo.

"Hai, Itachi-san," The lazy boy with spiky black hair tied at the back replied with a whisper while still looking at the picture of the smiling starlet, she looked so innocent and unaware of the world she got into. It stabbed him with guilt, "How troublesome.."

_Nothing personal, girl, I'll just be doing my job.

* * *

_

Crypz' lead vocalist lay on her extremely comfortable pink bed inside her cozy room. She looked really serene while she slept quietly. Her cherry-colored hair were scattered on a white pillow that supported her head and a small portion of her face was illuminated by the faint morning light that came from the window beside her bed.

She stirred slightly then shifted her whole body sideward while hugging another pillow that was originally given to her by her two best friends, Ino and Hinata. She felt like she hasn't had a decent sleep for such a long time. All the events that happened yesterday and the days before that made Sakura think if all of those were reality, or was it all just a dream?

'_It _must_ be a dream,'_ Sakura thought with a lazy smile on her lips, _'It seemed too good to be true._'

Since the day she tried out for the audition to be a certain band's lead singer, it's most certainly a start of a dream. A dream that kept going on until her contract signing, the day she met two interesting men, a certain blue-haired Uchiha and a chestnut brown-haired Hyuuga, the days she practiced with the band and up until a nerve-wracking press conference. It was all nothing but a dream.

Especially that twisted time when a really, _really_ handsome man confessed to everybody that she and he are dating.

_'Yup,'_ Sakura thought while giving out a small yawn then slowly stretching her arms, _'It's definitely a dream.'_

Sakura's silent morning thoughts were temporarily ceased when the door of her room violently flung open. Next, her green-colored eyes shot open then her body automatically sat up straight then looked at who's rushing at the door.

She yelped, "What the hell?!"

Sakura's blonde friend, Yamanaka Ino, was the first one she saw came in from her door, she was holding a magazine and was rushing towards her. Outside her room, peeked a shy Hinata and whispered at Ino, "I-Ino, you forgot to knock!"

"Huh?" Ino looked behind her then at Sakura, and then giggled, "Oops, gomen-ne Sakura-chan, I forgot! I was too excited!"

Sakura scratched her head then whispered, "Oh Ino, honestly, I could just skin you alive."

"I'm the one who should be telling you that, traitor!" Ino joked then jumped on Sakura's comfortable bed and grinned, "You sly fox, Hina and I really have to hear it from the news, huh? We live in the same house for Pete's sake! It'll be easy for you to inform us!"

Sakura blinked while racking her brain for further understanding, obviously, she's still having a pretty hard time to comprehend, "Huh?"

Hinata came inside Sakura's room and sat beside her bed, "It's all over the news, Sakura-chan."

Sakura blinked again._ 'They attacked me for this?'_

"Baka!" Ino happily laughed at Sakura, "You don't remember? We mean this!" She pointed out a magazine.

"Kami," Sakura felt like she couldn't breathe while she stared at _Cool Teen Magazine's_ cover photo. It was the group photo of their press conference yesterday and below that cover photo was another small _teaser-like photo_ (the type that pulls readers to buy a certain magazine) of Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke "romantically" holding hands.

"My, my, you certainly did it this time, Sakura-chan!" Ino grinned while flipping the pages of the magazine, "You managed to have fame and the hottest bachelor at the same time! If I'd known, I would have tried out for the audition too!"

Hinata looked puzzled, "W-When did this all started, Sakura-chan? I thought you and Uchiha-san didn't really get along well."

Sakura shook her head and almost gave a nervous laugh when her blonde friend beat her to it.

Hinata and Sakura were surprised when their blonde friend suddenly started laughing. In fact, Ino's laugh was sinister! She rolled onto her back on Sakura's bed while clutching the magazine in her hand.

Hinata leaned over to look at what made Ino laugh so hard, "What's so funny, Ino-" She paused, evidently, trying to stop her laughter.

"Hey, you two," Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Mind sharing those thoughts?"

"G-Gomen-ne, Sakura-chan," Ino tried controlling her laughter, she bit her lips but tears from her previous laughter were obvious, "Here, take a look for yourself," She handed Sakura the magazine.

The pink-haired starlet wanted to die at that very moment.

Inside one of the pages of this very exclusive magazine which was sold for almost every person in Japan was an extremely embarrassing one-page photo of her at the press conference.

A photo of herself clad in one of Hinata's glamorous dress and beautified to perfection by a very famous beauty expert, Mitarashi Anko.

A photo of herself _tripping_.

"I can't believe they posted this photo!" Sakura dropped the magazine on her lap then covered her face with her hands, "Don't they have a heart? This is overly embarrassing!"

"At least, you didn't get hurt, "Hinata rushed in comforting her friend right away.

"And," Ino added with a smile, "They kinda made it up to you, they wrote a really nice article of Crypz' here." She pointed at the article, "Go ahead, read it."

Beautiful green eyes scanned the written article inside the magazine:

'_**New Singer, New Intrigues, New Crypz!**_

_**It's official! The record-breaking Crypz is reborn! Although, now with a new lead vocalist, Haruno Sakura, new songs and new steaming hot intrigues circling within the band! All legal formalities are already finished and yesterday, their official press-conference was also a complete success provided by Ms. Haruno's grand entrance (See picture below). They concluded yesterday's press-conference as Ms. Haruno's pre-launching period but the reporters present in the event, including yours truly, knew otherwise! **_

_**Sorry girls, but HE's taken! YES! The handsome, rich and famous Uchiha Sasuke, co-owner of KTV Corporation and lead guitarist of Crypz, just revealed that he's dating the beautiful and talented Haruno Sakura. Uchiha Sasuke was forced to reveal his current relationship with Ms. Haruno out of the shadows to cease the untrue gossips regarding the old and new Crypz' singers.**_

_**With Crypz composed of such intriguing and talented members, we can definitely expect surprises from this band. We at CTM feels that Ms. Haruno's refreshing personality blends well with the band that makes us Crypz fanatics have something to look forward to!**_

_**It's true that Ms. Haruno has the personality and the looks to qualify but we have yet to witness her talent. Is it enough to continue Crypz legacy?**_

_**Check out Crypz' next gig at Fujiwara Palace tonight, the exclusive event will be aired on Channel 2 and Channel KTV!**_

_**-Cool Teen Magazine'**_

As soon as the words _'Fujiwara Palace' _registered her mind, everything seemed to come back to her. Haruno Sakura instinctively jumped out of her comfortable pink bed, looked at her alarm with a face full of disbelief and rushed towards her bathroom while temporarily forgetting the existence of her two closest friends inside the room.

Hyuuga Hinata looked at Yamanaka Ino with a confused gaze, the blonde only replied by shrugging her shoulders.

The bathroom door instantly opened and revealed the Crypz' singer with her beautiful locks tied up in a messy bun, her right hand clutching a toothbrush and the other with a toothpaste. She hurriedly ran towards them.

"G-Gomen- ne!" Sakura spoke, "I completely forgot to tell you both the details last night! I was so excited to spill the beans but when I got home the two of you weren't so I guess, I dozed off."

"I was at work," Ino sighed while glancing through the magazine again.

"I was at the groceries, Sakura-chan," Hinata answered with a smile.

The pink haired girl nodded, kneeled on the clean floor, held her friends hands and looked at them in their eyes seriously, "Look, the article about Sasuke and I is a sham."

"What!" Ino and Hinata chorused.

Sakura nodded, "It's complicated," she took a deep breath and whispered, "Everything was a mess yesterday and the press people kept pushing me and pushing me to Neji."

"You," Ino gulped, "You were linked with the famous Hyuuga Neji?"

"Hai," Sakura sighed, "And it's completely untrue! I was nervous and afraid of making a fool of myself and the band, which I almost did, until Sasuke rescued me."

"H-how?" Hinata asked with a confused look.

"Sasuke," Sakura gave a smile and a faint blush, "H-He sacrificed his reputation for me."

With a short period of time enough to skim the Uchiha Sasuke's cold and uncaring personality, Hinata is shocked in what he did for her friend. _'Could it be that Uchiha-san is starting to- yes, it's possible. However, it's a little bit too early because Sakura is still in the process of healing from her first heartbreak.' _Hinata sadly thought.

"Whoa," Ino blinked, "What a surprise."

Sakura nodded and grinned, "And, are you ready for another?" she stood up and forced her friends to stand up too, "_Tonight_. Tonight is a very special night because it's Crypz first ever presentation in Fujiwara Palace!"

"_Fujiwara Palace_? Oh, Sakura-chan!" Ino gasped in disbelief and hugged her friend, "I-I'm so happy for you!"

"That's awesome, Sakura-chan!" Hinata smiled while small tears are starting to form from the corner of her clear eyes.

"It is," Sakura nodded sadly, "But tonight, people will judge me whether I am truly fit to be Crypz' lead vocalist. I-I don't want to disappoint them, especially Sasuke because he's the one who sacrificed_ a lot_ for me."

"Sasuke taught me everything I need to know but still," The singer whispered shakily while hugging her friends closer, "I'm scared."

There was a brief silence among the three girls when a knowing smirk suddenly appeared on Ino's lips, "Silly girl, you don't have to be afraid because you'll have the beautiful and _very sexy_ Yamanaka Ino at Fujiwara Palace to cheer you on!"

Hinata giggled, "I'll be there for you too, Sakura-chan, I'm pretty sure that I could whip up something decent for Ino and I to wear for the occasion."

Ino grinned, "Wild horses couldn't stop us!"

Sakura held her head back and smiled at her two dearest friends, "Aw, you guys!"

Ino and Hinata started pulling back and headed towards the door, "We'll be ready in thirty minutes, Sakura-chaaaan!" Ino chirped happily.

Sakura glanced at her pink alarm clock and gasped.

_'Make it fifteen, guys!'

* * *

_

A soft knock on the band room's door was heard by three famous music artists who were busy practicing. The door opened and it revealed a smiling pink-haired girl in plain sweatshirt and pants with her two friends following behind her.

"Sakura-chan! Good morning!" Uzumaki Naruto greeted happily behind his drums.

"Good morning, guys." Sakura greeted back.

"Tsk," Sasuke mumbled, "I expected you to be late.. again."

"Well, I'm not!" Sakura stated proudly, "Thanks to Ino-chan for waking me up in a rather disturbing way." Her innocent comment earned her a poke by her back.

"Ino-chan?" Kakashi asked.

"Oh yeah," The beautiful lead vocalist smiled sweetly while pulling her two dearest friends from her backside after entering the band room, "I believe you haven't met my other friend, Yamanaka Ino?"

The raven-haired guitarist was the first one to glance up from strumming his guitar, examined the blonde girl beside their lead singer and stood up. He slightly bowed as a sign of courtesy, "Sakura has talked a lot about you. We're glad you and Hinata-chan could come and support her."

"I-I," Ino stared at Sasuke, dumbfounded. Sakura had expected this to happen since Ino's actually a big fan of the band in the first place and seeing the band in person is definitely a dream-come-true opportunity for her, "Y-yes, you can expect support from us not only for Sakura but for the whole band, as well!"

_'What? That's IT? Is that even Yamanaka Ino!? No screaming like what she'd done earlier this morning in my room?'_ Sakura thought silently.

Another reason for Ino's surprising speechlessness _must_ be the fact that Sasuke looks so_ terribly_ handsome today. And so does Naruto and Kakashi.

'**Wipe that drool off your face, Ino-pig!' **Inner Sakura laughed hysterically.

There's an unexplainable glow present in their faces, even the stoic Uchiha Sasuke, which makes them look more handsome. Not even a single ounce of nervousness can be seen through their faces. Excitement and happiness are the only ones visibly present.

That makes Sakura wish that she can steal their confidence for herself. Is she, _honestly_, the only one in the band worrying?

"Yo," Kakashi smiled to greet Sakura's friends while holding his bass guitar, snapping Sakura from her short daydreaming. He looked at Sakura's white-eyed friend and spoke again, "Oh, Hinata-chan, arigato for the dress designs. Your lastest submission will definitely look lovely on Sakura-chan tonight!"

"T-Tonight? In Fujiwara Palace?" Hinata gulped, knowing that her work will be worn by Crypz' lead singer and will surely be showcased to different famous people. She then nodded shyly with blushing cheeks, "I'm glad you all like it."

"Of course, Hina-chan!" Naruto beamed happily behind the drums, "Your designs are all so wonderful!"

Upon hearing Naruto's compliment, it strangely made the shy girl's blush deeper than ever.

Sakura giggled when she saw Hinata's flushed face; she casually rushed to her rescue, "I'm really glad you guys let me bring Hina and Ino with me tonight," the pink-haired girl smiled to her two childhood friends, "These two are my lucky charms!"

"Hn, I'm sure they'll lessen your nervousness later when you see them amongst the audience," Sasuke nodded and sat back again with his guitar, "I noticed before that you always seem secured and happy when you're talking about your friends."

Sakura playfully skipped beside Sasuke and jokingly placed her hand on top of his raven hair then patted him softly and laughed, "That's true and since I consider Kakashi, Naruto and even _you_ as one my friends, you also make me feel secured and happy!"

Sasuke blinked in surprise at Sakura's words, he then dared not to look up to see her _honest_ and attractive green eyes because he knew.. _he very well knew_ that his face would betray him. He then only lowered his head to cover his face with his bangs, pretending to play with the strings of his guitar.

_Since I consider you as one of my friends.._

He couldn't even understand why her simple and joking words have that kind of impact on him. He knew that what she recently said was sudden and wasn't given enough thought but still, it made him feel awkward. And now, he realized, it was never only her words, but oftentimes it's even her careless touch, striking eyes and_ especially_ her angelic voice.

_You also make me feel secured and happy._

Ino, who just witnessed the innocent scene, looked aghast with the kind of relationship Sasuke and Sakura already shared. It's like they have this invisible bond of trust between them. The trust that Sasuke has for Sakura to revive the band and the trust Sakura has for Sasuke, to protect her. If they're not cautious, this beautiful bond that they already established might grow into something else.

'_Something deeper,_' Ino thought sadly, _'that Sakura might not be ready to handle yet.'_

The silver-haired bass player glanced at the speculative blonde in front of him and with an amused look in his eyes; he concluded that the two of them are thinking of the exact same thing.

An awkward silence would have occurred when Naruto didn't expertly play his drums to catch the Uchiha's attention.

"Show-off," Sasuke muttered.

"Ne? Sasuke-teme!" Naruto yawned, placed his sticks on his back pocket then stood up from his stool, "Let's take five, I'm beat. We've been practicing since this the morning!"

Sakura abruptly dropped her hand from Sasuke's head then smiled, "I'm guessing I should go find Anko now."

The younger Uchiha finally found the courage to face her and the moment he did, his lips played his usual smirk, "You've guessed right. She's somewhere downstairs."

Kakashi placed his guitar safely on a container beside another bass guitar. Sakura examined the guitar beside Kakashi's and by the looks of it, unused and stored, this seems like the one referred by Neji. _His Tybalt_.

"Hey Kakashi," Sakura smiled casually and pointed at Neji's guitar, "Who owns this one? Do you?"

Sasuke slowly turned his face to look at what Sakura was talking about. He then frowned with her sudden interest in Neji's bass guitar. But still intended to keep his cool for maybe she's just being curious or naïve.

_'Yes,'_ Sasuke thought, _'that's just it, curiosity, because she already promised me she wont' talk to that –'_

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "Why the sudden interest, Sakura? It's been here ever since the first time you've entered the band room. Why ask now?"

"Oh," Sakura suddenly blushed and laughed awkwardly, "N-Nothing, of course! Just trying to answer curious questions in my mind, you know. Well, we got to go now. I can't keep Anko-san and Naruto's stomach waiting!"

Sasuke mentally smirked, _'You're such a terrible liar, Haruno Sakura.'_

"Yes, we better," Kakashi proceeded towards the door and opened it while looking at Hinata and Ino, "You girls like some ice cream? I think there's some more left in the kitchen."

"W-what about Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked.

"Anko will be doing some stuff to her that may take awhile, then after that Sakura will be in the evil clutches of Uchiha Sasuke for her reviewing of songs then we'll all just meet up at the rooftop," Kakashi smiled.

"Huh?" Ino inquired, "Why the rooftop?"

"Fujiwara Palace is on an island surrounded by water," Kakashi explained, "it is only accessible through air travel or sea travel. Naturally, we'll be flying in one of KTV Corporations private jets for us not to be late."

"We can't afford to be late." Naruto nodded with seriousness.

"Oh my goodness," Ino gasped, "We'll be riding in a private jet, Hina!"

Hinata merely nodded but inside, she's pretty much excited too.

"Excited, Hina-chan?" Crypz' drummer ran beside her, "Cmon, let's go raid Sasuke's kitchen!"

"Oh wait," Sakura spoke before she reached the door, "What about you, Sasuke? Aren't you coming? I still have to go to Anko so you still have time to go eat something."

The Uchiha merely looked up from his guitar and Sakura saw his lips form one word, "Practice."

"Oh," Sakura nodded. She paused for a few seconds while waiting for the others to have a decent distance from her. She then gave Sasuke a comforting smile and said, "Your dedication is admirable and I really respect your passion."

Brief silence dominated the room.

"I admire your passion with singing, as well," Sasuke replied without looking.

Sakura nodded then slowly turned around to leave the room. _'If you could just see me paint before, Sasuke..'_

"Sakura," His deep voice that called her name echoed through the band room. They were already at the far ends of the room while Kakashi and the others are already on the hallway.

"What you've said earlier," He pretended to fix the strings of his guitar when he cleared his throat, "Was it true?"

"Is_ what _true?" Sakura asked innocently.

He sighed a little while still trying to not keep eye contact with her, he then mumbled "About me being one of your friends."

"Of course," She answered simply.

Again, silence.

"But.. Did I," He whispered but loud enough for her to hear while narrowing his dark eyes on his guitar's strings, "_really_ make you feel secured and happy, Sakura?"

He really didn't know if those things she said earlier were true because as far as he can remember, he had always made her cry because of his coldness and strictness. With the unexpected meetings they had before the actual audition for Crypz' new lead vocalist, he knew he had always hurt her, in a way.

He had always thought of her of someone talented who will _just_ make the band rise from its terrible downfall after that Hyuuga Neji incident. He had always thought of her of a mere replacement and he felt like it's his responsibility to at least, protect her from possible harm from the people who wish to destroy Crypz namely his own brother, Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Sasuke never expected that a plain and simple green-eyed girl, who once bumped into him not knowing who he is then fought with him for nearly destroying her painting and slapped him once, would make him feel and do things that he does not usually do for anyone, ever.

He cursed himself, _'How irritating,'_

He waited for her reply but none came. He couldn't stop himself from looking up because of curiosity. He wanted to see the shocked look on her face for what he has done. He had to know though; if he wouldn't ask then it'll haunt him forever. He wanted, for some childish reasons, to know whether what she just said earlier was just a joke. Or was it –

He couldn't take it anymore, for a mere second, he looked up.

She was smiling at him and he knew it was the answer.

_'You still do, Sasuke.'

* * *

_

After the two hour ritual of skin care and pampering of Crypz lead singer from the famous Mitarashi Anko, after another two hours band practice and after a while for Naruto's grumbling stomach to be filled, Crypz and their friends are ready to load the KTV AIR. Several men were carrying equipments and instruments into the plane (with the addition of a nagging Anko always on their back).

Haruno Sakura, still on her comfy sweatshirt and pants, was the first one to ride the plane. She was feeling really excited and the insides of the aircraft is exactly like in the movies she pictured where there' s a small bar in one corner, comfy chairs and even some entertainment stuff.

The vocalist was awed. Ever since she entered the music world, it's been too glamorous for her own comfort. Sakura felt like she needed time to absorb this stuff because everything's revolving too fast.

"Sakura," Sasuke snapped behind her, "Get used to it."

She then grinned, "Oh, but I'll be having a hard time doing that though."

As it was Hinata and Ino's time to enter the plane, Sakura almost laughed at them because they were as stunned as she was earlier. Sakura invited them to sit beside her in a couch filled with soft throw pillows.

The last passenger was Mitarashi Anko but she decided not to join the group. She placed herself beside the comfort of a handsome pilot instead.

The engine started and after a few minutes, they were off.

"I could get used to this, Sakura-chan," Ino grinned, "I could never experience something like this if that single piece of paper didn't reach my beautiful face before!"

Sakura laughed.

"What paper?" Sasuke asked while Kakashi handed her a glass wine.

"Oh, the paper for your audition," Ino laughed, "It was pure accident. I was asking for a sign that could help Sakura-chan that day and that paper just flew right into my face!"

"So," Kakashi smirked, "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have found our beloved singer. I guess we're indebted to you now."

"No, I did it all for our Sakura-chan," Ino laughed, "But maybe, that wine over there can suffice that debt you're talking about."

"Are you sure, Ino-chan?" Naruto asked skeptically.

Hinata and Sakura giggled.

"You're underestimating me," Ino finally came out of the shell, "I can handle my liquor."

"We can prove your strength at the party, Ino-chan," Sasuke suddenly appeared with a CD player and earphones, "I can't afford to let these guys be drunk before the performance."

"Maah," Naruto whined, "You're no fun, Sasuke-teme."

"Baka," He then turned his attention to Sakura then handed her the CD player and inside was the rough copy they recorded before, "Here, keep reviewing, Sakura. The more you listen to it, the more you'll feel the song and lessen the risk of mistakes."

"Sure, Sasuke," Sakura obeyed and got the CD player.

Kakashi excused himself to the other room with Sasuke, obviously, giving the final touches of their presentation. Because they constantly do that, Sakura felt a sense of relief that everything's going to be okay. They planned all of it well and it seems 100% foul proof.

"Hey," Hinata pointed at the CD, "Are those the songs sang by you, Sakura-chan?"

"Yup," Sakura smiled proudly, "Although, it's only a rough copy. Would you like hear the songs?"

"Of course we do!" Ino sat in-between the two and smiled innocently.

"Okay," Sakura handed them the earphones, "Maybe you can recognize some of the songs in the first half, Ino. Those are Crypz old lyrics but revived by me." Sakura blushed.

"Hmm," Ino hummed the tune and smiled, "Oh Sakura, I remember these songs, of course! It's different when a girl sings it though. I feel more connected with it; it's not like the shouting kind of rock music. It's different."

Sakura giggled, "I don't think I can see that as a compliment."

"But it is," Hinata smiled, "I'm familiar with the tune but I don't memorize them like Ino does. You executed it so.. so strangely wonderful! I-I can't quite describe it though."

"Oh Hina, Ino," Sakura smiled, "I know you're only saying this because you're both my friends. Neji is much more experienced in this field; I couldn't possibly outdo him or even reach to his level. No way, even at least for now."

She didn't hear any replies from her two closest friends. As Sakura looked to them, she saw the two of them completely engulfed with the music. The music that Crypz, which she as their vocalist, made! Sakura can never complain to the talents of Kakashi, Naruto and especially Sasuke with their corresponding instruments. It's only she who's insecure about her own talent.

They actually _liked_ it. They liked the song she sang!

And her friends _never_ lied to her before. Even if it's the brutal truth or frankness, so be it, especially with Yamanaka Ino.

After a few minutes, they finally ended the whole CD, the entire dozen songs. The first half was the old stuff and the second half is the new ones made by Crypz in their times of inactivity.

Ino and Hinata removed their earphones and then looked at Sakura. The pink-haired singer was waiting for a reaction and she received a hug instead.

The blonde whispered seriously, "You are great, Sakura-chan."

"Oh, Sakura-chan," Hinata added with a smile, "There's nothing to be afraid of."

Sakura managed a "thanks" before they pulled away. Hinata smiled, "Which was your most favorite song?"

"I honestly love them all," Sakura laughed, "It's hard to choose because the lyrics are all so beautifully made."

"Oh cmon," Ino grinned, "Pick one, the best for you."

Sakura looked up then smiled, "W-ell, there's one that I particularly liked singing because I was able to relate to it."

"What track was it?" The two asked.

"The final track," Sakura said with a smile, "Track 12."

"Thought so," The both spoke in unison, and then they giggled.

Sakura laughed, "That's the most recent thing Sasuke has done, you know?"

_'Thought so too'

* * *

_

KTV Air flew above the fabulous and exclusive Fujiwara Palace. The view from the top is fabulous. Kakashi's description of it earlier was partly true but there are some things that he left out and forgot to include. How could he forget to mention the complicated yet beautiful maze of trees at the back of the Palace? How could he also forget to describe the beautiful long and grand stairway that shined as if it was made of gold? The height of the Palace seems to be twice the size of KTV Corp.

There was no mistaking naming it Fujiwara Palace, all right. The place is fit for kings and queens, princess and princesses and the likes.

It's like a place that was able to withstand the test of time.

Pink locks are visibly seen in one of the small windows of KTV Air which was encircling the whole island, trying to find a landing spot. Sakura's face was almost glued to window as she looked out at Fujiwara Palace. She couldn't believe a place as beautiful as this could ever exist. Now, she realized it did exist, and not only does she have to set foot on those marbled floors but she also has to actually perform there.

The pink-haired vocalist felt like she's going to faint.

Yet, she held on. Thinking that they've already gone this far. There's no turning back now. No more options. What more does she need? All of her friends are here. Everyone is here, for her. She couldn't possibly disappoint them.

She looked at her right and left side. Judging by the awed look in her best friends' faces, they must be totally shocked as well.

"So?" Kakashi gave a knowing grin from her back, "What do you think?"

"Unexplainable," Sakura breathed, "Are we really going to perform there? Maybe we got the wrong address."

"Nope, that's the Palace, all right," Kakashi gave a knowing grin, "As far as I can remember, it was built in around 1800's, I think. The property is owned by the Fujiwara family for many years now and it's like the point where artists and bands like us like to have our grand ending performance or something."

"But we're different," Sakura added happily, "It's not our "grand ending" performance, it's only the beginning!"

"That's right," Kakashi half-smiled, "Although, I'm a bit worried."

Sakura looked up, "With what?" _'With the performance that I'm about to give?'_

"With this sudden stroke of good luck," Kakashi replied, "We're the only band allowed to play for today, which has never happened in the history of the Palace."

"What's weird with that?" Sakura asked, "You guys were great even before I was the lead singer! You deserve this!"

Kakashi chucked, "Oh, Sakura-chan, you're too trusting. In this industry, we must always be cautious with the things that are happening around us."

The beauty specialist, Mitarashi Anko, suddenly stood behind the bass player of Crypz. Her black hair was tied up in a ponytail and her arms are crossed while tapping her right foot.

"Anko," Kakashi lazily looked at his left.

"Kakashi!" Anko raised an eyebrow, "Don't you think you're old enough to know the rules when inside an aircraft?"

"What rule do you think I'm violating?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"No one's supposed to stand up when it's time for the aircraft to land," Anko stated knowingly.

"But," Kakashi chuckled while pointing at her, "you're _standing _too."

"Arrgh," Anko pushed him to a seat at the back of Sakura, "Just sit down! The pilot says so."

"So, you call him 'pilot' now," Kakashi grabbed his portable Icha Icha Paradise then grinned underneath the pages of the book, "You sure are flexible. I bet you could be a flight stewardess and a beauty specialist at the same time."

"Kakashi?"

"Yes, Anko?"

"Shut up."

Kakashi grinned when Anko angrily pointed to him, "I almost forgot what I originally came here to say to Sakura-chan!"

"What is it?" Sakura asked while seeing Sasuke walking towards them.

"Sasuke! You're supposed to take a seat during landing," Anko reprimanded.

"Yes, Sasuke," Kakashi spoke without leaving his eyes on his Icha Icha Paradise, "Listen to the pretty stewardess."

Sakura heard the lead guitarist yield a soft grunt when he sat beside the empty space beside their lead vocalist. "What were you saying, Anko?"

"Oh yeah," Anko looked out the view, "The owner of the Fujiwara Palace is going out to meet us as we land."

"Really?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "Is it just me or is this getting a little awkward?"

"Hn," Sasuke nodded.

"Why? Maybe they're just friendly," Crypz lead singer sat there confused, "I really don't get it, why don't we just take advantage of the opportunity? What are we going to lose, right?"

They are all sat silent as they contemplate their thoughts. The only noise they could hear was the sound of an aircraft landing safely on the ground and the snore of a blond drummer.

* * *

A red carpet, a lighted tunnel overhead, black men in tuxedos and trees almost everywhere beyond the landing site was the first things Sakura's beautiful green eyes had seen. There's nothing interesting to see for now. Sakura was the first one along with Hinata and Ino by her side, who came down the stairs from the KTV Air.

The rich-colored carpet touched Sakura's flats. She and her friends waited as Mitarashi Anko along with the rest of her band mates finally came down. The men in tuxedos lined up to greet them looked _awfully_ familiar.

Sasuke then stood in front of the three girls and searched the area; he then saw a shadowy figure in the walls of the lighted tunnel. At first, it was a tall shadow but it was running rapidly in their direction.

"Stand back," Sasuke instructed Sakura, but she insisted to look through his shoulders, "He's coming towards us."

The tall figure no longer remained tall as it approached Crypz. It turns out that the shadow belongs to a child of around seven to eight years old. A girl in a red dress, matching red shoes and a Sunday hat stood proudly before them.

She has beautiful brown hair, Sakura realized, but the upper portion of her face is covered by the hat. She was smiling though. Everybody could tell.

"Who are you, kid?" Naruto asked.

"What! I am NOT a kid!" The girl frowned, "You tell em', Sakura-chan!"

Everybody looked at Sakura with surprise looks on their faces. The vocalist slowly walked towards the girl and kneeled before her so at least; they could face each other eye to eye.

"G-Gomen-ne," Sakura whispered, "Do I know you, little girl?"

"Neh, Sakura-chan!" The girl grinned, "How could you forget? I told you not to forget a helpless kid! They might be of help in the future!"

'_Huh,'_ Sakura thought, _'Helpless girl? This can't be-'_

The seven-year-old slowly removed her hat and finally revealed herself. She flashed a huge smile to Sakura and finally she hugged Sakura. Crypz, Anko, Ino and Hinata were all shocked as well when Sakura hugged the kid back.

"Mameha-chan!" Sakura exclaimed, "I can't believe it's you!"

"Of course, it's me," Mameha pouted, "I was beginning to wonder how many_ 'helpless girls'_ you know already."

Sakura giggled, "You're not helpless. You never were. By the way, what are you doing in a place like this?"

"Oh," Mameha wondered, "Haven't I told you yet? Didn't you get my daddy's business card _that day_?"

"W-what are those two talking about?" Hinata asked.

"I really have no idea." Ino whispered.

"Your dad's business card?" Sakura clapped her hands, "Oh yeah! I remember! Your dad gave me a card back then but I unfortunately misplaced it."

"Oh okay," Mameha sighed, "That's okay, Sakura-chan, the important thing is that Crypz is here now."

"Gomen-ne," The deep voice of Sasuke interrupted the two, "Sakura, who is this kid?"

"I am NOT a kid!" Mameha frowned, "My name's Fujiwara Mameha."

"WHAT!?" Both Sasuke and Sakura looked at her with shocked faces.

"Fujiwara? You're the owner of Fujiwara Palace?" Naruto approached Mameha and asked, "But you're just a kid!"

"Dobe," the Uchiha muttered.

"For the last time, I am not a kid!" Mameha stared at the blond drummer, "Y-you baka!"

Sasuke smirked, "For once, I have to agree with this ki- ehrm.. girl,"

"I still can't believe a kid manages things around here," Naruto mumbled.

"Oh," Mameha laughed, "I'm not that old enough either! My dad owns Fujiwara Palace. I am merely the heiress."

Sakura gasped, "M-mameha, are you.. really?"

Mameha nodded and hugged her once more, "But, you still helped me without knowing who I am and where I came from, Sakura-chan! It doesn't really matter now, does it?"

"So, what does have to do with us?" Sasuke asked coldly.

"I want to repay Sakura-chan for her kindness," Mameha smiled while hugging her closer, Sakura was still too shocked to comprehend, "You see I, once, ran away from home. Sakura-chan found me and took me to many cool places and stuff!"

"Oh, Mameha," Sakura laughed softly at the memories, "We were chased by your bodyguards!" She then realized that these men in tuxedo's greeting them _are_ her bodyguards.

Mameha then faced everybody with a smiling face. It was as if an adult was talking to them, "She opened my eyes to reality. While we were together, we had fun and I also discovered that she's the new lead vocalist of Crypz."

"So," Kakashi interfered, "You wanted to help Sakura-chan launch her career, as well as Crypz', by organizing a huge party here in Fujiwara Palace with every famous people and media present, and the only one who'll play throughout the whole party is us?"

"Bingo," Mameha grinned.

Kakashi smiled then bowed a little, "Arigato Gozaimasu, Mameha-chan, this will surely help a lot in Crypz' especially with Sakura-chan's blooming career."

Haruno Sakura could feel tears from the corner of her eyes, "Mameha-chan, I-I don't know what to say, honestly."

Mameha smiled, "Sakura-chan, you don't need to say anything. Just promise me one thing."

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"Don't ever change, please?"

Sakura nodded, "I definitely won't."

The heiress smiled, held Sakura's hand and started leading the way towards the lighted tunnel.

Ino shivered, "It's scary how an eight-year-old _kid_ can think and organize such plots."

Anko nodded.

'_I'm NOT a kid!'

* * *

_

"Kami," Anko, and her two assistants, gasped as she got the gown for Sakura from a hanger, "Hinata-chan's so creative."

The pink haired starlet stood speechless at the sight she beheld in front of her. Hearing Anko's comment about Hinata being creative is an understatement. She clutched the gown carefully as ever made by her best friend, Hyuuga Hinata. She couldn't believe that her shy and quiet friend could whip up something extraordinarily bold and elegant such as this. This only proves that there's absolutely more to Hinata than what meets the eye, not that she's not aware of that or something.

Hinata has a knack for fashion but for her to come out of her shell and be proud of the hidden talent she has, Sakura couldn't feel any more proud to wear the dress her friend designed.

The gown is, in no question, the most beautiful and fashionable of all of Hinata's designs so far. It's has a beautiful white tube in the upper part and a black leather belt by the waist. If you continue to look down it continues to flow into slight perfect waves until it reaches below the knee for the front part and in the back part, it continues to flow up until the ankle.

It is elegance, sophistication and spunk all rolled up in one design, in one dress. A dress made for her.

A dress made for a special event such as this.

"Go on, Sakura-chan, we're in a bit of a rush today," Anko handed her the gown and pushed Sakura behind a little changing corner, "We only have 30 minutes to fix your hair and make up!"

Upon hearing the time check, Sakura hurriedly removed her clothing and carefully tried on the dress, there weren't any mirrors in that small changing corner that's why Sakura couldn't tell what she look like so far, "It fits nicely," Sakura smiled.

"Well, that comes to no surprise," Anko replied while ordering her assistants to unpack their beauty products and accessories, "Hinata-I knows you very well, it was an advantage for her part. She knows what will look best on you."

"I guess you're right," Sakura smiled as she finished putting on the gown, she then stepped out of the dressing corner, "How do I look so far?"

The beauty specialist and her three assistants looked up and examined the lead vocalist, the specialist then nodded and gave an approving look, "Oh, I just have the perfect hairstyle and make-up in mind, something light and elegant, that's for sure."

Sakura almost made her way to the full length mirror to see herself while wearing the gown when one of Anko's assistants held Sakura's arm and shook her head, "Gomen-na, Sakura-chan, we have to get the make-up and hairstyle done first before you see the full effect."

"Oh okay," Sakura grinned at the sight of the comfortable chair being presented by Anko's other assistant, "Do you mind if I practice some more while you fix me up?"

Anko smiled, "Of course, Sakura-chan," She saw her client sit down in a chair in front of her and put on her earphones and turned on the CD player Sasuke gave her earlier.

'_Sakura-chan, you really are something,' _Anko thought while her assistants handed her a pair of plastic gloves and "the kit", _'I have no doubts. You will do just fine in this industry.'_

Although, Sakura wasn't entirely focused on the songs she sang because she's been practicing that since.. ever since Sasuke gave brief vocal lessons to Sakura. She knows these songs by heart already. What troubles her mind at this very moment is the upcoming presentation later.

She never expected the stroke of good luck she held, she never imagined Mameha Fujiwara to be the daughter of _that_ famous billionaire! Now, because of that, Crypz was given a perfect opportunity to launch themselves again, there's no problem regarding Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi though, the problem is within herself. Of course, she's nervous. Who wouldn't be?

They have to perform in front of a famous crowd, where there would certainly be critiques and media persons present to watch and judge her every move, and they would also be aired live in television.

But most importantly, all the people who care and love her are just outside, waiting for her to appear and make them proud. The band and of course, her two dearest friends, Hyuuga Hinata and Yamanaka Ino, who've always been there since the day Gaara and she broke up.

'_Gaara'_, Sakura thought with a happy sigh, _'There's no more bitterness at the mere thought of your name now. I know, I just do, that I've grown a whole lot stronger after what happened between us.'_

Sakura's green eyes drifted at the CD player she held at her hand when her inner self started occupying her mind again, **'Are YOU sure, forehead girl? Gaara will surely see you live tonight!'**

'_So what?'_ Sakura countered, _'Whatever I do now will have no effect on his part.'_

'**Baka! Admit it!'** Inner Sakura screamed, **'You WANT him to see you tonight!'**

Sakura's lips smirked a bit while Anko's assistant started applying foundation on her face, _'Of course, I want him to see me tonight. I want him to see me changed and had moved on.. definitely without him.'_

'**Right on, girl!'** Inner Sakura cheered, **'Let's show him and let's show that brunette girl as well, I'm sure she'll be watching tonight too!'**

Sakura groaned, _'Why do you have to spoil the moment? We were getting along just fine a moment ago! And you just HAVE to bring that girl up! But you're right, we'll show her!'_

'**Atta girl! We'll show that boyfriend stealer who she's messin' with!'**

"Sakura-chan," Anko laughed, "I don't know what you're thinking but you got to stop it, it looks like your holding back your laughter or something."

The vocalist laughed, "Gomen-na, Anko, I was just thinking about something."

"Quite moving," Anko concentrated, "I'm almost done."

Sakura quietly obliged and while Anko and her minions are just making the finishing touches, she gave her sole and undivided attention to the songs again, mentally practicing each and every word that Uchiha Sasuke composed.

Her thoughts suddenly drifted to Track 12. She really enjoyed singing that piece and she felt grateful because it was like Sasuke made the lyrics especially for her. Of course, the day she asked Sasuke about the lyrics he simply denied it with a simple statement of_ 'Just practice it.'_

But, she knew otherwise.

"Sakura-chan," Anko gave a satisfied grin while removing her gloves, her two assistants rushing by her side, "You're done, take a look at yourself."

The pink-haired vocalist removed the earphones and placed the CD player by a small table nearby. She walked over the full-length mirror at the far end of the room. She stood still while fixing her gaze from her heeled boots and slowly rising up to her beautifully styled hair.

She looked elegant and slightly bold, in a rock star type of way. Her beautiful pink hair, messily but stylishly, flowed down until her waist and the red streaks in it made it very unordinary. Her green eyes just seemed to pop with the black eye liner and dark but elegant eye shadow applied. However, Anko just applied lip gloss to her lips just to soften the whole dramatic effect so far.

Sakura wore a black choker and her white dress was complimented by another black leather belt and her black high-heeled boots, completely hiding any sight of her creamy legs.

Sakura felt confident. Hinata and Anko combined can definitely bring out the best in any person! Even in a plain girl such as herself. She knew that she's now ready, both physically and emotionally.

"I can't believe that's me now," Sakura laughed, "Arigato gozaimasu everyone!"

"No, no" Anko shook her head with a smirk playing on her lips, "I won't accept that, Sakura-chan! I want you to do your best later, for all the people who support you, okay? That'll be enough."

Her green eyes shined with great determination and confidence, Sakura started her way out of the room and to finally meet up with the band and the people who are waiting for her.

_'I will not fail them. I'll give it my all.'

* * *

_

The huge lobby of the famous Fujiwara Palace is filled by enthusiastic celebrities, already impatient reporters and important people, either rich or famous enough, for their presence to be requested by the Fujiwara family. The outside of the Palace were presently invaded by helicopters, some were for a last-minute appearance while others were media men waiting for a great video footage not only on the insides of the Palace but on the outside as well.

As one would enter the Palace, famous celebrities will walk on a long red carpet and were already bombarded by flashes and lights of cameras and videos. Many artists were placed on the spotlight while only some were given the privileged to be given a brief interview. After that tedious crowd, one will see a vast space made up of marbled floors and full-length windows that would enable one to see the beautiful dark night and heavy-clouded skies outside. Weird though, there are no stars visible tonight. There just might be a slight drizzle afterwards.

Inside, there are also refreshments almost everywhere. There's also been quite a spread. Men in tuxedos would also serve some famous drink or snacks. There were also a few things that could certainly make one entertained. One is that there's this lengthy dance floor right in the middle. Food and beverages placed on the sides and so much more. It came to no surprise when the once ghost-like floors are now occupied with famous personalities with great haste.

It's a social event, a party, where everyone seems to know everyone else. A celebration only the Fujiwara family is capable of giving.

The crowd or audience is a mixture of people garbed in the finest and hippest clothing. It's most certainly a formal event. Everyone is required to dress up a bit, all starting from the famous personalities, to the media people and even important and invited guests just like the famous beauty specialist, Mitarashi Anko, with her client's two childhood friends, Hyuuga Hinata and Yamanaka Ino.

"W-wow," Hinata blushed as she wore the black dress she designed that complimented her fair skin and her braided hair, "There are a lot of people here, Ino-I."

Ino, whose wearing a blue simple gown made by Hinata and whose hair is styled and curled by Anko's assistants, drooled, "Oh Hina! This is haven! Hunky models just within my reach!"

Hinata blushed, "Shhh! Ino-chan! We're here to give support to Sakura-chan and not to dally and –"

"Oh Hina," Ino laughed, "This is a party! Liven up! While Sakura-chan's not on yet, we're free to enjoy ourselves, I'm sure she won't mind."

"That's right, Hinata-chan," Anko smiled and patted Hinata's head, "Sakura-chan wouldn't mind the least if you enjoyed yourself a bit. You've both done so many things for her which she's truly grateful of!"

Hinata just blushed deeper.

"Oh, Anko-san!" A booming voice from behind the beauty specialist was heard that made the three of them look around, "It's good to see you here too! Could you please pose for a few pictures with your friends?"

Ino and Hinata looked at each other with a surprised look and were even caught by surprise when Anko laughed and pulled the two together closer to her, "Of course, say cheese, girls!"

The two were caught by surprise by a flashing light that came from the camera of that certain photographer, "Arigato Gozaimasu, Anko-san, please enjoy the party!"

"Gosh, this is really so glamorous and everything," Ino smiled nervously, "I hope I looked good in that photo! I think I was looking down at that time."

Hinata nodded, "I-I was caught by surprise too."

Anko laughed but then someone tapped her from behind. It was a tall, middle-aged woman garbed in furs and heavy jewelry, "Anko, dear, how are you?"

The beauty specialist smiled a bit, trying to bit down her laughter, "I'm doing very well, how about you?"

"Fine, I'm very well. As you can see your staff is responsible for a fabulous job on my hair and for caring for my skin," She flipped her long and lustrous black hair at her back and smiled, "Dear, you must absolutely tell me _who_ designed your gown at once. It's totally breathtaking."

Hinata blushed and Ino gave her a soft push, "Hina! She's talking about the clothes you designed."

Anko quickly grabbed Hinata's shaking hands before she would even try to escape because of too much nervousness, "Here is the girl responsible for this beautiful dress that I'm wearing."

"Oh," The woman examined her, "Dear girl, did you study in Paris or somewhere for fashion design? You have wonderful taste, I must say."

Hinata stammered, "N-No ma'am, I'm actually a graduate of culinary arts. I only design dresses whenever I-I have free time."

"A cook!" The woman exclaimed, "How interesting and yet peculiar!"

"Not odd at all," Anko intervened while trying to give Hinata confidence, "She's working under KTV Corp. and is currently the designer of Crypz' new lead vocalist!"

"Truly interesting," The woman clapped her hands, "Anko, you _must_ let me interview her for my women's fashion magazine, _The Closet, _I insist!"

"W-what!" Hinata stuttered in disbelief, "B-But, I.." she managed to look at Ino who simply encouraged her by giving her a thumb's up and a wink.

"Nonsense, come on, dear," The woman held her hand excitedly, "Anko, you come as well."

"This won't take long," Anko looked back at Ino and whispered, "We'll be right back, just help your self with drinks over there."

The blonde Ino waved at her shy friend whose being dragged away by a tall woman in furs. She gave a soft sigh. There she noticed that the place is gaining more and more people, she couldn't even walk straight without bumping to somebody.

She made her way to a tall man in black tuxedo who was serving some drinks. He offered her a glass of expensive wine and she took it right away. He was shocked when she drank it immediately without even pausing for a second. She asked for another glass of wine and her eyes gave no clue of giving up.

As soon as Ino got her second glass of wine, she played with it a little bit. She didn't drink it as fast as the first glass. She made her way towards the window and looked out at the view.

'_Not that I'm jealous or anything but,' _Ino thought as she played with the glass of wine she's holding, _'I kinda feel left out a bit.'_

She bit her lip and drew a heart shape on the window,_ 'I've been too busy with work that I don't help Sakura or Hina with their stuff,'_ she sighed, _'I wish I could be of more help to those two.'_

Her sad thought was set aside when she heard her name from afar. It can either be Anko or an embarrassed Hinata asking for help. She shook her head with a smirk on her face then swiftly turning around, at first, failing to notice the boy with spiky black hair in a plain brown jacket and jeans, and then accidentally spilling her wine on the back of his jacket.

Ino noticed that he was talking to his cellular phone too, and the moment she spilled her drink at his back, it caught him by surprise as he turned around to face her.

"K-kami!" Ino gasped, "Gomen nasai! I didn't see you there!"

The boy with spiky black hair was still holding the phone to his ear, he was waving his hands at Ino as if telling her that what she'd done with his jacket is all right.

"No," The blonde shook her head and her blue eyes insisted, "You must send a laundry bill to me and I'll– "

He sighed and he pulled the phone out of his ear for a moment, "No, It's all right, that would be troublesome."

Ino was taken by surprise by his frankness and directness, "Oh well," she replied audibly, "Your loss then."

The guy then sighed again and tried to get back to the phone, "Gomen-na, Itachi-san, you were saying?"

Ino wasn't that too far away either when the man mentioned the name of Uchiha Itachi, Hyuuga Neji's manager and Crypz' rival. She had decided to keep an eye on that man. She's getting a bad feeling about him and to the famous man that he's talking to.

She vowed to keep an eye on him but was momentarily ceased when the lights went dim and a there was a spotlight on stage.

It showed the Fujiwara Family.

The crowd went silent for a while but the flashing of lights from the cameras were blinding. Nevertheless, the Fujiwara head, beside him was her wife, held the microphone on his right hand while patting the head of her daughter, the heiress – Mameha Fujiwara.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," The refined man spoke, "I would like to thank everyone for coming in this little soiree that we've organized."

"_Little_?" Ino whispered to herself as she scanned the preparations and glamour of the place, "Hardly."

The elegant-looking woman beside the speaker spoke with a smile on her face, "This event is actually a pre-birthday party for our only daughter, Mameha, all her close friends and contacts were invited."

The crowd clapped a bit, while some raised their glasses to Mameha. Mameha smiled at all of them and then gently took the mic from her mother, "Uhm, I really do appreciate those who came to my party! I hope you all enjoy yourselves!"

The brown-haired child then looked up at her parents, and with a nod from them, she smiled at the audience, ".. And to make this event unforgettable. I've organized, no,I've _specially requested _for a great band to play for us tonight!"

"They are a group composed of extraordinary individuals," Mameha beamed, "And now, with their new lead vocalist, who is also my personal friend, they are striving to be on the top and I believe, that there's no stopping them now!"

Behind the curtains, Crypz' could hear the lovely and enthusiastic praises of Fujiwara's heiress. The pink-haired vocalist held the mic stand as if it was the only thing that keeps her from fainting. She took a deep breath and looked at her back. She found a grinning Naruto, dressed in white formal long sleeves with a cute black ribbon by the collar, black pants, and a black side swept hat, behind the drums and gave her a thumbs up.

Her green eyes landed next on her right side and saw a cool and composed manager, who gave her a wink. He was dressed in a white shirt with opened buttons at the front, he was wearing a black formal jacket over that. He looked really handsome especially with his bass guitar with him.

Lastly, Sakura glanced by her left, and saw a pair of dark eyes staring at her, watching her intently. Not only because of startlingly beautiful she looked tonight but also because of the nervousness that's written all over her face!

She, however, focused on his style. She stared at the cool and very handsome boy almost a few steps from her. He was wearing a white shirt like Naruto and Kakashi and black pants. Although, what made him different was his necktie, stylishly loose.

_'She's nervous,' _Sasuke thought,_ 'Understandable though. It IS her first performance.'_

"Sakura," He approached her.

"Sasuke.." She looked up at him.

He held her gaze, "Don't be nervous," he smirked, "Don't think of the people out there, and just think of _us_. Just think of the band, think of your friends and think of.. _him_."

Sakura's brows furrowed, "Huh?"

"Gaara," Sasuke spoke, "We'll first play Track 12."

"Uchiha Sasuke!" Her green eyes softened at his remark, "I knew it! That song is _for me_!"

Sasuke simply nodded, "Just think of the day you've tried for the audition. You told us that you wanted to forget that.. Gaara, correct?"

Sakura nodded while stunned that he remembered her words.

"Then, Haruno Sakura," Sasuke smirked, "Show me."

_'Show me you've moved on'

* * *

_

Everyone stared at the smiling heiress. Mameha then clapped her hands, "Well then! Let's not keep the suspense up! I now proudly present to you – the brand new Crypz!"

There was a slight clapping from the audience and the spotlight shifted. The red curtains then slowly opened, revealing four famous figures. A lead vocalist at the center, who was closing her eyes and holding on at the microphone stand, a bass guitarist on her right, a lead guitarist by her left and an expert drummer at her back.

The spotlight was focused on them and a slow presence of dry ice appeared on the stage. The audience went totally silent and their gazes were all focused on the foursome. There was still, of course, the flashing of cameras. The awkward silence was then broken when the beautiful pink-haired vocalist started singing with a soft tune.

She still looked down but her mouth was parallel to the microphone as she held it with both hands. Sakura then heard the soft beat of Naruto's drum. It then became a certain series of beats while Kakashi joined in the building rhythm with his bass.

_I saw the look in your eyes _

_And I just know that it's all over_

_You came, I saw and now I'm wondering_

_Did you ever love me from the beginning?_

Sasuke then entered with great expertise on his guitar. It was a simple entrance but it made the music deeper than before. Sakura then lifted her head and sang with a voice louder than the former.

_How could you say right on my face?_

_The things that once were so in place_

_I never knew you'd turn out this way_

Naruto's drums seemed to be bringing the beat into a new level. He started showing off for a while until the two guitarists took over for a bit. Sakura's voice then was louder than before.

_I hate myself for trusting you_

_I hate the way you made me do_

_But please, now go_

_Before I say_

_I told you so_

There was a slight pause for a while then Sakura opened her beautifully expressive green eyes and sang the chorus with so much feeling, so greater force than before that she surprised Sasuke and everybody else in that party. One could tell that it was almost painfully sweet. The crashing of the guitars and the drums with her voice was perfect.

_Cause I'll be moving on_

_Even without you_

_I'll be strong enough_

_I will forget you_

_I'll not shed _

_One more tear_

_That, I promise you, my dear,_

_And I should just start_

_Moving On_

Then again, there was silence from the band. Sakura then betrayed what Sasuke told her and glanced at the audience. She tried searching for her friends but she couldn't find them amongst the crowd. The vocalist then closed her eyes and just thought of Gaara, without any bitterness in them. She took the mic out of the stand and when she heard the soft beating of Naruto's drums and the entrance of Kakashi's guitar, just like the rhythm in the very start of song.

_I leave my past behind with you_

_Forget the way you made me blue_

_I never knew you'd turn out this way_

Sasuke's guitar, once again, came in. He coordinated with Kakashi's guitar at first then with Naruto, again, forming another series of soft to complicated beats. Sakura then tried finding strength to the comfort of her band mates. She glanced behind her and saw the happiness in Naruto's eyes and a serene look on Kakashi's face.

_I hate those times I've spent with you_

_I hate the way you made me do_

_But please, now go_

_Before I say_

Lastly, she looked at Sasuke. He couldn't see her watching him because he was busy with the lead guitar but then didn't care. She felt somehow relaxed then she smiled at him as she said the next four lines.

_I loved you so_

The clashing of the instruments started once again and Sakura finally decided to give it her all. She couldn't find the guts to let these passionate artists be disappointed at her. She was smiling, she's genuinely happy. She felt at bliss and without problems. She had moved on. She had forgotten him. She had forgiven Gaara.

_I'm not angry_

_Nor I'm lonely_

_But don't you think you've done enough?_

_Can't you see me?_

_I am happy_

After that, Sakura heard a series of clapping from the bewildered and satisfied audience.

Sasuke managed to smirk behind the dark locks, he whispered to himself, "Very good, Sakura." As Sakura managed to sing the next notes with ease and with a smile, he felt pride and he doesn't even know why. He's afraid to know why.

Sakura tried again to search for her friends and finally she saw them. By the window, she found the blonde Ino, she was smiling back at her. And on the other corner, she found Hinata, pushing back proud tears from her eyes. Sakura can see everything.

The glowing vocalist repeated the chorus this time better than ever. She was actually having fun and until the song finally ended. Somehow, she felt relieved and satisfied. She took a deep breath and smiled at the crowd.

The audience gave their support and appreciation by clapping their hands madly, waiting for the next song. Sakura looked at her band mates and nodded, they then began to sing another.

At that very moment, everyone knew and everyone accepted.

_Crypz is reborn.

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**A/N:** I'm not going to say so much because it was already a very long chapter. Thanks again for those who reviewed and added this story to their favorites! I can't thank you enough.

**Votes: **I honestly lost count. I'll just give the updated count next chapter. Gomen. :P


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